Tracking the retail technology sector during the coronavirus
Retail Technology Innovation Hub rounds up the key Covid-19 developments from last week.
Six months of the coronavirus pandemic have completely changed how Brits shop. And 81% of us are going to stay that way, according to research by e-commerce agency Melody.
Russian food retailer, X5 Retail Group, has launched a contactless shopping system that is accessible via a mobile app.
This is powered by its Express Scan technology, which was developed in-house.
Retailers’ failure to sell across online and offline channels is costing the UK sector up to £22 billion, according to research by Adyen.
Anonymised transaction data across the company’s global payments platform found that half of retailers adopting a unified commerce or omnichannel approach saw their total number of transactions remain consistent during the coronavirus pandemic.
Swisslog is working with H-E-B to deploy a number of automated micro-fulfilment centres that will support the US retailer’s curbside pick-up and delivery business.
These will feature AutoStore technology and Swisslog's SynQ software and pick stations.
51% of global holiday shoppers plan to buy locally this year, as the coronavirus continues to loom large, according to new research from Rakuten Advertising.
70% of Americans would prefer a completely human free, contactless shopping experience, according to research by Sense Photonics.
Empire is expanding its e-commerce offering to Atlantic Canada with the launch of Voilà by Sobeys Curbside Pickup.
Powered by Ocado Group’s in-store fulfilment technology, this is available at three Sobeys locations in Nova Scotia, with customers able to order online at voila.ca or by downloading a mobile app.
UK fashion retailers are launching a range of new online services as a response to Covid-19, according to research by Brightpearl.
The company surveyed 1,000 retailers and found that 44% are looking to offer free delivery by 2021, whilst 34% plan to launch free returns before the year is up.
Swedish buy now, pay later specialist Klarna has raised $650 million in an equity funding round, at a post money valuation of $10.65 billion.
Amazon is recruiting 100,000 more workers, the fourth Stateside hiring spree it has announced this year as online shopping demand increases during the coronavirus outbreak.
Discount retailer TJ Morris is tapping new motion sensor technology from Hitachi Europe for a traffic light queueing system at all 550 of its Home Bargains stores across the UK.
Aldi is piloting its first UK Click and Collect service.
The German discounter is currently running a trial for staff members from a store in the Midlands and plans to extend that to customers in the coming weeks.
McDonald’s UK and Ireland is testing out a Click. Park. Collect service in 24 restaurants.
There will be over 36 million connected sextech devices in use in 2020, rising from 19 million in 2019, according to Juniper Research.
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