RTIH brings you the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail technology? Then this is the article for you.
$1 billion…German delivery startup Gorillas, which promises grocery orders within 10 minutes, has raised $290 million, taking its valuation past the $1 billion mark.
50…Over 50 UK retailers have signed up to a diversity and inclusion charter led by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
The likes of Sainsbury’s, Aldi, AO, Argos, John Lewis Partnership, Ocado, The Co-operative Group and The Very Group will focus on oversight, recruitment, progression, reporting, inclusivity and responsibility.
£350,000…Swapi, which has developed an app that lets people swap loyalty points between brands, has raised £350,000 in seed funding as it prepares to launch this autumn.
$18 million…Headless commerce startup, Chord, has raised $18 million in Series A investment funding led by Eclipse Ventures.
It has also acquired business intelligence platform, Yaguara.
51% of UK shoppers want to avoid store assistants, and are instead looking for more autonomous and technology-enabled experiences, according to research by K3 Business Technology Group.
One in three…The mobile subscription market in the US has received a major boost during the coronavirus outbreak, research from Emarsys finds.
Around one in three US consumers have subscribed to a new subscription app like Netflix, Spotify and Babbel during the latest lockdown, with the 35–44 age bracket (37%) showing more interest than any other age group.
30…Electrical retailer, Currys PC World, has unveiled a new TV ad campaign to promote its ShopLive video call offering.
The service, which launched in June 2020, connects customers to a video chat with a tech expert.
The 30-second TV spot highlights how easy it is for people to use this tool, and showcases Currys PC World employees in action, rather than actors.
$5 million…Bitcoin rewards venture, Lolli, has closed a pre-Series A fundraising round after pulling in $5 million.
31,405…Despite the Covid-19 pandemic sending shockwaves through the UK retail sector, there were still 31,405 openings of independent units in 2020, according to a report released by Local Data Company.
These were just outweighed by 32,847 closures and resulted in the independent market shrinking by -0.4% (-1,442 units).
78%…After a year of Covid-19 restrictions on stores across the US, 78% of Americans plan to shop more at physical locations this year than before the start of the pandemic.
They miss being able to interact with shop assistants, physically see the goods they are buying and 63% just want to get out of the house, according to research by ChaseDesign involving 1,000 people.
$5 million…UK-based augmented reality technology company, Blippar, has bagged $5 million in funding.
100…Chinese e-commerce big hitter JD.com has revealed plans to help nearly 100 fresh produce markets in Shanghai go digital.
100…Intersport has deployed an order management solution (OMS) from OneStock.
The retailer says that, by having a single view of stock, it can fulfil orders from its warehouses and implement ship from store capabilities across more than 100 European stores.
350…US fried chicken restaurant brand, Popeyes, has announced plans to enter the UK in 2021.
The company is looking to open 350 new restaurants on these shores over the next 10 years as part of a European expansion plan.
$90 million…Nuvemshop, a Latin America-based e-commerce platform, has announced a $90 million Series D investment led by Accel.
1…Ted Baker has become the first British fashion brand to launch a culture platform on invitation only audio-chat iPhone app Clubhouse.
Two-thirds of UK CEOs and other C-suite executives have experienced ‘decision paralysis’, according to research by artificial intelligence company, Peak.
53% of Americans use their smartphone to shop while in bed, according to research by Contentsquare released to coincide with World Sleep Day.
15…Alibaba Group is this month rolling out its Xiaomanlv logistics robots to 15 universities in China.
Students can set a pick-up time to get deliveries to their dorms.
Xiaomanlv, which means little donkey, made its debut last year, tapping the artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology of Alibaba’s research and innovation institute DAMO Academy.
$230 million...E-commerce marketing startup Yotpo has raised $230 million in Series F funding, putting its valuation at $1.4 billion.
€35 million…Paris-based logistics startup Cubyn has raised €35 million in a Series C round.
This brings its total raise to €55 million.
£12.6 billion…Variety discounters – Home Bargains, B&M, Poundland, Wilko and smaller players – will be worth £12.6 billion by 2022, up from £11.1 billion in 2020, according to IGD.
