The retail technology space during the Covid pandemic
Retail Technology Innovation Hub rounds up the key retail systems related Covid-19 developments from last week, including the 2021 RTIH Innovation Awards, checkout free stores, and a look at how frontline employees are feeling after the pandemic and what is on their list of priorities now that they're assessing their career options.
Red Ant emerged victorious in the Best Coronavirus Innovation category at the 2021 RTIH Innovation Awards, which took place in central London earlier this month.
The award was sponsored by Critizr.
Red Ant impressed our judging panel with its shoppable virtual consultations solution, the first of its kind to launch to market. This was developed as an extension of its clienteling app during the pandemic.
Also in this category, Qvalon was highly commended for its work with Burger King Russia to put into a mobile application all the business processes that regulate and monitor the quality of cleaning and janitorial services, and deployed special digital checklists to ensure compliance to all Covid related hygiene and safety standards and protocols.
Scott Thompson, Editor and Founder of RTIH, said: “Innovation and technology play a critical role in the success of the retail sector, so it was great to recognise standout examples through our awards.”
“Competition was tougher than ever, so to emerge victorious was no mean feat. Congratulations to Red Ant and Qvalon and all our other winners and highly commended companies.”
Scott Galloway, a professor of marketing at the New York University Stern School of Business, and a public speaker, author, podcast host, and entrepreneur, has been giving his thoughts on the booming rapid delivery space.
Historically, the last mile has been rhetorical, he observes in an online post. The nearest UPS hub or DHL warehouse might be 10 or 20 miles.
Startups like Jokr, Buyk, Gorillas, and Fridge No More, all birthed during the pandemic, have dispersed their distribution networks to within an actual mile, via the use of dark stores. In doing so, they’ve created the last last mile.
UK footfall on Super Saturday (18th December) was down 26% compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to research from Sensormatic Solutions.
Data from its footfall index, which captures four billion shopper visits globally each year, shows that while shopper counts were up 22% year-on-year (although this represents a period when parts of the country were in tier four restrictions last year), the impact of the Omicron variant and rising wave of Covid-19 infections on consumer confidence has ebbed away at festive footfall.
Liam O'Meara, VP of Europe for Axonify, recently gave RTIH the lowdown on his company’s 2021 State of the Frontline Work Experience report, which takes a look at how frontline employees are feeling after the Covid pandemic and what is on their list of priorities now that they're assessing their career options.
Checkout-free stores are set for rapid international expansion in 2022, with the addition of more non-food locations, and increased competition for Amazon, says GlobalData.
Jemima Walker, Analyst in the Thematic Research team at GlobalData, comments: “As consumer demand for ‘safe shopping’ accelerates due to Covid-19, and the ROI of checkout-free tech is revealed, retailers that have already implemented this technology such as Tesco, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, and Carrefour will see their advantage eroded as competitors join the checkout-free retail race in 2022.”
Major retailers that fail to monitor this trend will find themselves falling behind, she adds.
Amazon has opened checkout-free Amazon Fresh locations in Euston, Wandsworth and Chingford, London, bringing the total number in the UK to 15.
These are powered by the e-commerce giant’s Just Walk Out technology, which was pioneered at Amazon Go in the States. and offer a selection of its private food brand, by Amazon.
Other stores can be found in the likes of Camden, Ealing, Wembley Park, White City, Canary Wharf and Dalston.
Opening hours are from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, seven days a week.
Customers use the Amazon app to enter and put their phone away and shop for what they need. At the end of their visit, they can head for the exit, with no need to stand in a queue or check out.
Compass Group UK & Ireland, part of foodservice business Compass Group, has unveiled plans to launch its first fully frictionless store in a workplace in early 2022.
This is set to open in Ireland followed by additional sites in the UK over the next year, including units within other corporate clients, as well as in the sports and leisure and defence sectors.
The new stores will utilise AiFi’s AI powered computer vision technology which allows shoppers to purchase items in-store without having to wait in line or stop to scan or pay.
They will typically stock a selection of both hot and chilled ‘grab-n-go’ dishes, drinks and confectionery.
Discount grocery retailer, Netto, part of the Edeka Group, has opened its first ever Trigo powered frictionless checkout store in Munich, Germany.
The 250 square metre store underwent a retrofit to become a Pick&Go hybrid autonomous offering.
