The five most important retail tech news stories of the week

It’s Friday, the week is nearly done, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail technology space. Here's your briefing on the most important and interesting stories from the past five days.

1. Walmart joins Instacart platform and takes aim at Amazon

Walmart is partnering with Instacart to offer same-day delivery in the US as it looks to take on Amazon and its network of Whole Foods stores and Prime offering.

The tie up is currently in a pilot phase in four markets across California and in Oklahoma.

2. Amazon eyes mall space for fulfilment centres

Amazon is reportedly in talks with US mall owner Simon Property Group to turn JCPenney and Sears locations into scaled down fulfilment centres.

3. Kroger leverages Mirakl tech for Kroger Ship expansion

The Kroger Co. has announced that its Kroger Ship platform will now include an extended ship-to-home assortment through a marketplace offering of third-party sellers powered by Mirakl.

4. Facebook Accelerator: Commerce seeks innovative startups

Facebook has announced that applications are open for its Facebook Accelerator: Commerce initiative.

"We are looking for commerce startups based in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America who are renewing shopping experiences for buyers and sellers," Rowly Bourne, Head of VC Partnerships and Startup Growth, said in a LinkedIn post.

5. Little cause for optimism as UK retailers battle coronavirus

July saw the second month of growth for UK retailers as coronavirus lockdown measures eased and demand gradually began to return in some places, according to research from the BRC and KPMG.