Five retail technology lessons from last week — Retail Technology Innovation Hub

RTIH takes a not always serious look back at another eventful week for the retail technology space.

1. Former employee drops Amazon homepage title bombshell

Have you noticed that Amazon's homepage title looks like it was last updated in 2004? That’s because it was last updated in 2004.

Has anyone noticed that Amazon's homepage title looks like it was last updated in 2004?

It *was* last updated in 2004. I wrote it then when I was 24 years old and running the SEM/SEO teams, and apparently no one has updated it since then.
— Blake Scholl 🛫 (@bscholl) January 19, 2021

2. MP Stella Creasy really has it in for the BNPL space

Labour MP Stella Creasy is calling on fashion retailers such as boohoo and Missguided to temporarily halt buy now pay later (BNPL) schemes, labelling them a “financial scandal waiting to happen”.

3. Blue Monday is pseudo scientific baloney

25% of consumers relied on online shopping to cheer themselves up this Blue Monday, the so called worst day of the year, according to research from Contentsquare.

Ugh. Enough with this Blue Monday nonsense already. We’re with English journalist/TV presenter and founder of MoneySavingExpert.com Martin Lewis on this one.

Just got my first Blue Monday press release. Blue Monday is pseudo scientific baloney - originally by a travel firm to sell.

This year of all years, we should not be marketing based on people's mental health concerns.

Pls share if u want firms to #StopBlueMondayAdvertising
— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) January 14, 2021

4. Theo Paphitis has a mahoosive self-portrait and he’s gonna use it

Lol...what happens when the BBC producers move you around from where you were originally sat for your interview setting ! 🤣🤨 #zoombackground https://t.co/MewMZdL85H
— Theo Paphitis (@TheoPaphitis) January 15, 2021

5. That Bernie Sanders meme + Primark = comedy gold

Nice one, intu Merry Hill.

Patiently waiting for Primark to reopen like... 😂 pic.twitter.com/nkFNTFGcD9
— intu Merry Hill (@intuMerryHill) January 22, 2021

6. Percy Pig before he was famous

Ever wondered what Percy Pig of popular M&S sweets fame looked like during his earliest appearances?

Well, here you go…

Here’s one of the earliest appearances we have of our beloved Percy Pig. This tin from 1999 features our classic image of Percy before he became the famous pig he is today! #percypig #1990s #sweets pic.twitter.com/OghJul96gJ
— M&S Company Archive: Marks in Time (@MandSHeritage) January 22, 2021