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 Instacart/Kroger, Co-op, Made.com and Co-op.
Online furniture retailer Made.com reports £214 million gross sales for the first half of 2021, representing 54% year-on-year growth.
Revenue stood at £171 million, +61% YoY, with Q2 revenue of £89 million, +84% YoY.
Highlights include making “encouraging progress” on the beta testing of a curated marketplace.
The pureplay nearly doubled its UK large goods warehouse, with the delivery of an additional 172,000 sqft of space during August.
A letter of intent has also been signed to extend warehousing space at an existing site in Antwerp, servicing European customers.
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.
Many UK e-commerce businesses are taking delivery into their own hands, according to new research from Vimcar.
In a survey of 100 small and medium sized UK e-commerce retailers, almost all experienced an increase in online orders since March 2020, and two thirds have had to invest in their own delivery fleet to meet customer demand.
The research comes at a time when retailers are grappling with the impact of delivery driver shortages, Brexit uncertainty, supply chain issues and Covid restrictions.
Instacart has partnered with Kroger to launch a Q-commerce offering called Kroger Delivery Now.
By using Kroger’s network of more than 2,700 stores, this focuses on delivery (within 30 minutes) of food and household staples via the likes of Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Fry’s, Mariano’s, and Smith’s.
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.”
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.
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.
RTIH has announced Critizr as sponsor of the Best Coronavirus Innovation category at the 2021 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The pandemic has had a major impact on the way that we shop and the way that retailers operate.
This 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.
Last year, Ocucon emerged triumphant, impressing our judging panel with Occupi by Ocucon, an intelligent occupancy management system that allows retailers to remotely monitor and manage the flow of shoppers in and out of their stores – coordinated via signage, CCTV and door entry and closing systems.
To be in with a chance of joining them in our hall of fame, click here.
