RTIH presents the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including Asda, wilko, Walmart, Co-op, Asos, Sendcloud and Giant Eagle/Grabango.
£200 million…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.
75% of consumers would stop using a retailer if they frequently messed up communication updates regarding their delivery, according to research from Sorted.
10,000…Digital in-store retail media company, Cooler Screens, has announced the installation of more than 10,000 of its smart screens, generating over 77 million monthly views, a 200+% increase since June.
The venture, which uses interactive digital displays to replace the glass doors in store cooler aisles, is now in 700 retail locations across 30 US markets.
3…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.
$177 million…E-commerce shipping platform venture, Sendcloud, has closed a $177 million Series C funding round.
This was led by Softbank Vision Fund 2 with a “significant” strategic investment from L Catterton and participation from HPE Growth.
67%…Dark store retail formats are growing in popularity with UK consumers, with demand continuing even as the Covid-19 pandemic eases, according to research from OneStock.
Its survey of 2,022 UK shoppers revealed that 67% used dark store formats during the outbreak, choosing to Click and Collect or have online orders fulfilled from a non-essential retail store that was closed to the public during lockdown.
1…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.”
$2 billion...Misfits Market, a US-based e-commerce platform specialising in the delivery of food that would otherwise be wasted, has closed a $225 million Series C-1, bringing its valuation to $2 billion and total equity raised to $526.5 million.
SoftBank Vision Fund 2 led the round with participation from current investor Accel.
As part of the Series C-1 round, Lydia Jett, an investor and Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, will join Misfits Market's board of directors.
15…Buyk, a startup which promises delivery from dark store to doorstep within 15 minutes, has launched in New York City.
Its service, which features no minimum spend and no delivery fee, is now available in Manhattan and plans are afoot to expand across all New York City boroughs by the end of 2021.
The company is also looking to launch operations in 2022 in the largest metro areas across the US.
$100 million…Asian merchant commerce platform Pine Labs has raised an additional $100 million, hot on the heels of securing $600 million in a financing round in July.
Invesco Developing Markets Fund made the investment. Pine Labs, which started life in India, was valued at $3 billion in its July financing round.
$166.5 million…SellersFunding, which provides financial solutions for sellers on Amazon, Shopify, Walmart and other marketplaces, has secured $166.5 million in a combination of equity and credit facility, with a Series A round led by Northzone, and also involving Endeavor Catalyst and Fasanara.
£3 million…wilko, a British high street chain which sells homewares and household goods, has announced a £3 million investment in UK autonomous delivery company, StreetDrone.
The investment, which is part of a wider multi-million-pound pre-Series A round, will enable StreetDrone to accelerate the development of its delivery vehicle and systems.
The plan is to bring autonomous deliveries to Wilko consumers by the end of 2023.
£214 million…Online furniture retailer Made.com reports £214 million gross sales for the first half of 2021, representing 54% year-on-year growth.
$3 million and $12 million…UK-based convenience shopping app, Jisp, has opened a final private investment round as the startup looks to raise $3 million to support its US expansion plans.
The venture has secured funding of $12 million to date.
Five more US grocers have chosen FoodStorm's SaaS offering to manage their prepared food and catering operations.
They are Straub's Fine Grocers in Missouri, Midtowne Market in Missouri, Sunset Foods in Illinois, Joseph's Classic Market in Florida, and Town & Country Markets in California.
£1.5 million…Luxury pre-owned marketplace, Open For Vintage, has launched a £1.5 million capital raise, including a public crowdfunding campaign powered by Seedrs.
The cash will drive the growth of the venture’s community in the UK and US markets via the expansion of marketing activity.
$2 million and $20 million…Food automation and robotics venture, Blendid, has closed an oversubscribed round of crowdfunding.
Hitting its $2 million target via 1,475 individual investors during a four month campaign on StartEngine, the venture has now raised a total of $20 million in investment through a combination of traditional venture capital, strategic investors and crowdfunding.
£300 million…Davidson Kempner Capital Management has agreed a new £300 million lending facility with buy now, pay later venture DivideBuy and will also acquire a minority equity stake in the company.
4…US retailer Giant Eagle is working with Grabango on the installation of autonomous shopping technology at four more of its GetGo Cafe+Market convenience stores in the Pittsburgh area.
This builds on its initial deployment of Grabango's tech at a single GetGo location last year.
16…Asda is testing out a new loyalty app called Asda Rewards for staff at 16 of its stores in the West Midlands and West Yorkshire.
