September: retail technology deals and deployments at a glance
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, deployments and pilots from September, including Shop.com, Asos, Majid Al Futtaim, Amazon, Walmart and Albertsons Companies.
Online fashion retailer Asos is to invest £14 million in a new tech hub in Belfast, Northern Ireland and create 184 new jobs over the next three years.
Cimcorp has implemented an automated solution for Spanish grocery retailer Mercadona.
This is the first of four systems ordered by the supermarket giant. Installed in Mercadona’s new distribution centre in Zaragoza, the solution handles the distribution of fresh fruits, vegetables, and packed meat products.
Majid Al Futtaim, which owns and operates shopping malls, retail, and leisure establishments in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has announced the launch of checkout free store, Carrefour City+.
A first for Carrefour worldwide and situated in Mall of the Emirates, this taps artificial intelligence technology.
Store access and shopping payment is enabled via the MAF Carrefour app. Once inside Carrefour City+, every item picked up by customers is automatically added to a digital shopping basket and the purchase is completed by walking out.
Amazon’s biometric scanner for retail, the Amazon One palm reader, is for the first time expanding beyond the e-commerce giant’s own stores.
“As we approach the first anniversary of the launch of Amazon One later this month, I’m excited to share that it’s now available as an option to enter Denver, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre,” says Dilip Kumar, Vice President, Physical Retail and Technology.
“Amazon One will be offered by Amazon at the venue, where AXS, a leading digital ticketing company, will deploy standalone ticketing pedestals including Amazon One.”
“This means, upon enrolling their AXS Mobile ID with Amazon One, fans now have the option to simply scan their palm to enter concerts and events much faster and easier than before.”
After launching in Go stores and then larger Fresh supermarkets, Amazon’s cashierless Just Walk Out technology is set to be deployed in two Whole Foods locations Stateside.
The service is coming to Washington DC and Sherman Oaks, California next year.
Walmart has worked with Argo AI and Ford to launch an autonomous vehicle delivery service in Austin, Miami and Washington D.C.
This will use Ford self-driving test vehicles equipped with the Argo AI Self-Driving System to deliver Walmart orders to customers.
The service will be available within defined service areas of the three markets and will expand over time, with initial integration testing slated to begin later this year.
Co-op has announced a new partnership with Amazon and a Starship Technologies powered acceleration of robot deliveries.
The moves are part of the UK retailer’s plan to more than double online sales from £70 million to £200 million by the end of the year.
Next has agreed a physical and online retail deal with Gap covering the UK and Ireland, months after the US company said it was shutting all its high street stores in those countries.
Beginning in 2022, a joint venture will see Next operate Gap’s online shopping business via its Total platform, host branded Gap concessions in selected physical locations, and offer Click and Collect options.
InPost has announced a new partnership with Tesco, which will see its automated parcel machines (APMs) deployed across the grocery giant’s entire large format store estate in the UK, potentially up to 500 sites, by the end of November.
Shoppers will be able to collect their online orders or send parcels, and also drop off returns in seconds thanks to InPost’s paperless Instant Returns service.
Aldi UK is trialling new checkout free technology in one of its London stores.
The discount retailer says that the tech will allow customers to scan a smartphone app to enter the store, pick up their shopping, and walk out without the need to pay at a till.
They will then receive an email receipt and be charged automatically using their chosen payment method.
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has launched a new JD MALL brand, an upgraded version of its E-Space omnichannel retail experience store.
This will make its debut in Xi’an on 30th September.
With an area of 42,000 square metres across five floors, the aim is to offer an immersive experience through 200,000 items from over 150 domestic and international brands.
Consumers are able to place orders through the official WeChat Mini Program by scanning QR codes on each of the items, and JD will handle the last mile delivery side of things.
Shoppertainment platform venture, Firework, has announced a new partnership with Albertsons Companies.
The food and drug giant is the first US grocer to utilise the Firework platform, bringing online shoppers shoppable, short-form and livestream video experiences.
US-based e-commerce platform Shop.com is getting into the cryptocurrency payments game.
The company, which is owned by Market America, has partnered with BitPay, enabling it to accept payments in several cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum and Litecoin, as well as five USD pegged stablecoins.
The BitPay integration is available in all the countries where Market America operates, which includes the US, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, UK, Singapore and Malaysia.
