Ten retail technology investments you need to know about
These companies are leading the way in providing innovative retail systems powered customer and employee experiences, including Gap, Tesco, Asda, Amazon, Nespresso and M.Video-Eldorado Group.
1. Gap
Gap has acquired startup Context-Based 4 Casting (CB4).
CB4’s AI and machine learning tools aim to make the shopping experience easier and more rewarding for store teams and customers.
Funded by investors including Sequoia Capital, its technology has been implemented by such retailers as Levi’s, Urban Outfitters, Lidl, and Kum & Go.
“We believe artificial intelligence and machine learning will shape the future of our industry,” says Sally Gilligan, Chief Growth Transformation Officer, and head of the Strategic Growth Office at Gap.
“Gap has experience working with CB4’s world class data scientists, so we understand the impact and the wide applications their science can have across sales, inventory and consumer insights, as well as its potential to unlock value and enhance the customer experience.”
2. Tesco
Tesco is launching a pilot with rapid grocery delivery venture Gorillas.
The retailer’s customers will be able to order Tesco products to their doors, within 10 minutes, via the Gorillas app.
Gorillas will set up micro-fulfilment sites at five large Tesco stores to handle the deliveries.
The first store to be involved in the partnership is in Thornton Heath, London.
3. Asda
Grocery giant Asda has announced a partnership with RangeMe.
Through the latter’s global sourcing platform, the retailer is aiming to increase the number of new and innovative products available in stores as it seeks out emerging suppliers.
Asda is the first of the big four UK grocers to join RangeMe since the platform launched in the UK last month.
US-based RangeMe made its debut in 2014 and is used today by over 12,000 retail buyers in the UK, North America, and APAC region.
4. Waitrose
Waitrose is set to become the first supermarket in the UK to trial a new generation of electric vehicles.
Groceries from its St Katherine’s Dock, London store will be delivered to customers entirely by electric vans equipped with wireless charging technology.
The move is part of an ambition to end the use of fossil fuels across Waitrose’s entire transport fleet by 2030.
By 2030, Waitrose will have electrified all cars, vans and light trucks, and for sectors where that is not currently possible, such as long distance heavy trucks, biomethane will be used.
5. Nespresso
Metapack has been selected to run global shipping and returns services for Nespresso.
The partnership will see Metapack’s Delivery Manager, Delivery Options, Delivery Tracker, Delivery Intelligence and Returns Portal implemented across Nespresso markets.
6. Revolution Beauty
US-based startup Fast is launching its one click checkout offering in the UK with Revolution Beauty.
After entering their contact information and payment details as they normally would for their first purchase on a merchant’s site, buyers are automatically signed up and can use the solution at any online store with Fast Checkout.
7. M.Video-Eldorado Group
M.Video-Eldorado Group, Russia’s largest consumer electronics retailer, has expanded its capacity for express delivery from stores and increased its courier delivery capacity by 50%.
M.Video and Eldorado stores will continue to operate in line with new region specific Covid restrictions, while focusing on online services.
They offer customers various delivery options ranging from one to two hours.
8. Very
Online retailer Very, which is operated by The Very Group, has launched a stockless fulfilment model with adidas and Reebok.
The integration, which means some products will be shipped directly from adidas and Reebok to Very customers, delivered the retailer’s biggest ever drop of new product lines.
Plans are afoot to scale up this model over the next few months to cover more brands including Quiz, Lacoste, Kickers, Berghaus, Speedo and Ann Summers.
This would involve implementing new in-house technology platforms, integrated with external platforms, including Oracle Retail Merchandising Cloud Service and IBM’s Sterling Order Management, which are built on an open API integration framework.
9. Sofology
Sofology has launched a tool which aims to inspire shoppers and help them make more informed purchasing decisions.
‘Create Your Look’, powered by Hullabalook, allows people to build their own interior designs and visualise how sofas will look at home.
They can explore the retailer’s product catalogue and add their favourite products to a canvas.
The canvas is customisable; shoppers can change the wall and floor colours and move the products around to replicate their own spaces.
10. Amazon
Amazon is gearing up to open an Amazon Fresh location in Holborn, London.
No news on the exact launch date. But we can reveal that this will be the e-commerce giant’s seventh such UK convenience store to feature Just Walk Out Shopping tech, which was pioneered at the Amazon Go offering in the States.
The other six are in Camden, Ealing, Wembley Park, White City, Canary Wharf and Dalston.
