Top 10: last week’s most popular retail technology articles
These are the RTIH retail systems articles that caught your fancy last week, including JD.com, Buyk, Aldi UK and Nisa/Jisp.
Ten retail technology investments that should be on your radar
These companies are leading the way in providing innovative retail systems powered customer experiences, including Shop.com, Majid Al Futtaim, Asda, Amazon, Glovo and wilko.
Startup interview: Slava Bocharov, Co-Founder and CEO, Buyk
RTIH gets the lowdown on Buyk, a new service promising grocery delivery from dark store to doorstep within 15 minutes. The venture has just soft launched in Manhattan, with ambitions to expand across the US and beyond.
Last week’s biggest retail technology plays
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail tech deals, deployments and pilots from the past week. Featuring Co-op, AiFi, Instacart and Kroger.
Aldi UK joins Amazon and Tesco in checkout free stores race
Aldi UK is trialling new checkout free technology in one of its London stores.
The discount retailer says that the tech will allow customers to scan a smartphone app to enter the store, pick up their shopping, and walk out without the need to pay at a till.
They will then receive an email receipt and be charged automatically using their chosen payment method.
Asda trials autonomous delivery vans in partnership with Wayve
Asda has partnered with startup Wayve to test out autonomous vans as part of the grocery giant’s last mile operation.
The trial will begin in early 2022 and Asda will be the first to commercially test the solution, using Wayve’s deep learning expertise to help navigate complex delivery routes in London.
JD.com to launch new physical store JD MALL
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has launched a new JD MALL brand, an upgraded version of its E-Space omnichannel retail experience store.
This will make its debut in Xi’an on 30th September.
With an area of 42,000 square metres across five floors, the aim is to offer an immersive experience through 200,000 items from over 150 domestic and international brands.
Consumers are able to place orders through the official WeChat Mini Program by scanning QR codes on each of the items, and JD will handle the last mile delivery side of things.
Nisa tests out new Jisp Scan & Save augmented reality vouchers
Jisp has launched an augmented reality vouchering system, Scan & Save, for brands, independent retailers and their customers.
The solution will initially be deployed in 12 Nisa stores across the UK and will allow customers to exclusively save up to 60% on more than 65 products from the likes of Mondelez, PepsiCo, Kelloggs, Molson Coors and Nomad Foods.
Combining Scandit’s AR technology with Jisp’s consumer app, Scan & Save reads product barcodes and presents promotions, which customers can then save and redeem with their mobile phones. Retailers will also be remunerated for each scan and redemption of the voucher.
Dubarry of Ireland announces Adyen payments partnership
Footwear brand, Dubarry of Ireland, has consolidated its global online payment infrastructure to Adyen’s single platform.
It says that integrating Adyen acquiring has improved its authorisation rates by up to 15%, and its shoppers can now enjoy a seamless and localised checkout experience.
Buy It Direct Group appoints Laura Robertson as customer loyalty head
Laura Robertson has joined online retailer Buy It Direct Group to head up customer loyalty.
Robertson previously worked at N Brown Group, where she held the position of Head of Trading and CRM.
Buy It Direct Group’s brands include AppliancesDirect, Outdoor Living, furniture123 and better bathrooms.
RIP physical gift cards as digital offerings get Covid boost
Gone are the days of physical gift cards. It’s now all about digital, according to new research from Blackhawk Network.
The company surveyed 15,000 consumers across 14 European countries.
Last year, digital gift cards offered a convenient solution to gifting during lockdown, as Blackhawk Network found 59% of consumers bought a gift card online. Despite restrictions easing across EMEA and concerns over Covid-19 declining, consumers are still opting for this method.
