The retail technology space during the coronavirus pandemic

Retail Technology Innovation Hub rounds up the key retail systems related Covid-19 developments from last week, including cashless payments, the booming e-commerce space and the launch of the 2021 RTIH Innovation Awards.

Shelf gaps continue to pose customer experience (CX) issues for UK shoppers in-store, according to research from electronic shelf labels venture Pricer.

The third edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards opened for entries last week.

The awards, sponsored by leading technology service provider PMC, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

They include a Best Coronavirus Innovation category.

The pandemic has had a major impact on the way that we shop and the way that retailers operate.

The award will go to the company who has best turned to technology to solve the challenges presented by the Covid-19 era, improving in-store and/or online experiences for both staff and customers.

https://t.co/ZsAYD5qnEm We are delighted to announce our headline sponsorship of the @RTIH_RetailTech Innovation Awards 2021 celebrating the agile and innovative successes of the retail industry during a challenging year. #PMCRetail #RetailInnovation pic.twitter.com/aWnNC0fN0m
— PMC (@PMCRetail) June 16, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic has cemented the shift to e-commerce, with Q2 2021 online sales up +64% compared to the same time period in 2019, according to research from Mention Me.

The referral marketing platform’s Retail Insights team compared data trends since 2019 across beauty, home and garden, fashion, and food and drink to identify long-term trends in the market, beyond the fluctuations caused by changing lockdowns.

CEOs from such UK retailers as Sainsbury’s, Asos, Tesco, Dixons Carphone and JD Sports, have called on the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to support an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that would tackle violence and abuse against retail workers.

Earlier this year, digital operations platform venture Brightpearl launched its search for the inaugural Lightning 50, a league table sponsored by TrustPilot.

It is inviting UK online retailers who have seen huge growth since the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic to register to be in for a chance of inclusion.

Entries are open until Friday, 16th July and the final list will be published on 23rd September.

.@Brightpearl & @Trustpilot are on the hunt for the UK's fastest-growing #ecommerce companies over the past 12 months.

You one of 'em? Let us know... https://t.co/6wTBJ0Gn7v pic.twitter.com/9dDMWUzLoJ
— Brightpearl (@BrightpearlHQ) June 15, 2021

Swedish lifestyle and fashion brand, Axel Arigato, has partnered with HERO to bring virtual shopping to its e-commerce store.

The service connects online customers in the UK live with a product expert who can take them through the design and fit of their sneakers, menswear, womenswear and lifestyle accessories, just like in-store.

Cash only small businesses risk losing customers by not offering alternative payment options, according to research from tomato pay.

The venture, which has developed a QR code based payments and invoice app, surveyed 2,007 Brits and 500 500 senior decision makers in soletrader, SME businesses.

35% of the former said they now decide where they shop based on whether or not the business accepts non-cash payments and one in five people would be put off from using a small business if they could only pay in cash.