The retail technology week in numbers

3…Waitrose is to extend its Unpacked test in Oxford beyond the original end date of 18th August. It has also committed to introducing elements of the concept into three more shops by the end of the year, after what it describes as “an overwhelmingly positive response”.

$40 billion…Predictions that smart speaker shopping will reach $40 billion by 2022 are wildly optimistic, according to e-commerce delivery specialist ParcelHero.

5,000…US ‘buy now, pay later’ venture Sezzle made its Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) debut this week and laid claim to being “a formidable opponent for the likes of Afterpay and Klarna, particularly in the North American market”.

The company, which has thus far pulled in more than 5,000 active retailers and over 429,000 customers, says that the move will give it “the fuel required to scale our business, move into new verticals, invest in technology, and connect in a more meaningful way with our shoppers”.

13…US teledentistry venture SmileDirectClub has launched in the UK.

It will open nine SmileShops in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, with the first ones being in Hammersmith, Oxford Circus and Tower Bridge in London, and Crossway in Birmingham. It has also teamed with Well Pharmacy, the UK’s third-largest pharmacy chain, who will pilot four additional SmileShops within its locations in Cambridge, Newcastle, Cardiff, and Leeds.

63%…Monday marks the beginning of Christmas shopping season, according to research by eBay Advertising.

Searches for “Christmas” in the DVD, Films and TV category on ebay.co.uk shot up by 63% during the second week of August last year, compared to the week before. This appears to be starting earlier each year, with this initial surge having taken place in August’s third week in 2017 and fourth week in 2016.

850,000…Shop Direct has completed external building works at Skygate, its new 850,000 sq ft fulfilment centre at East Midlands Gateway, near Castle Donington, Leicestershire.

9,560…Walgreens is implementing Theatro technology at all of its 9,560 stores, with the first 1,000 locations set to go live in 2019.

3.5%…Rewards shopping app Lolli has partnered with Albertsons Companies’ subsidiary Safeway to give customers 3.5% back in Bitcoin when purchasing groceries online.