The retail technology week in numbers

Do you like numbers? Do you like retail technology? Then this is the article for you.

5…The marks out of five that consumers use to rate practically everything contribute to the most misleading management information a business has at its disposal, according to retail analytics startup Uncrowd.

£40.6 billion…Brits spent £40.6 billion on dispensable items during the coronavirus lockdown, in an effort to entertain themselves while at home, according to research from Barclaycard.

$85 million…Misfits Market, an e-commerce platform that sells ugly, but otherwise edible fruits and vegetables, has closed an $85 million Series B financing round.

73% of holiday consumers do not plan to reduce spend on 2020 shopping (compared to 2019), according to research from Rakuten Advertising.

48%…The share of British adults feeling comfortable about heading to the shops almost doubled from May to June, according to research from EY.

Its survey of over 1,000 UK consumers found that feeling positive about shopping in grocery stores has risen from 25% in May to 48% in June.

2…Amazon unveiled a six-wheel delivery robot, Scout, last year and has been slowly expanding its field tests.

After launching in a single neighbourhood in Snohomish County, Washington and then adding a larger site in Irvine, California last August, Scout is now undergoing trials in Atlanta, Georgia and Franklin, Tennessee, Amazon has announced.

4…Aussies can now shop online with Asos and pay for their goods in four instalments as the pureplay extends it partnership with Klarna.

£8 million...UK-based eco-friendly detergent subscription service smol has bagged £8 million in a Series A funding led by Balderton Capital and also including JamJar Investments.

66% of UK shoppers say the coronavirus safety measures put in place by retailers will determine where they spend their money, according to research conducted by Vitreous World for Cennox.

600…Japanese beauty brand Shiseido is rolling out Cegid’s cloud-based retail software to over 600 stores in Asia.

3…Controversial Chinese tech giant Huawei has announced plans to launch three stores in the UK.

500…John Lewis says that its Click & Collect delivery and returns service will be available in over 500 Co-op food stores by the end of the summer.