Last week’s biggest retail technology plays at a glance
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Featuring Hudson, Amazon, OnBuy, Kwik Trip, Puma, and Walmart.
Hudson, which has more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks, and tourist destinations across North America, has secured two new locations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Terminal 3.
As part of a 10-year agreement with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), Hudson will open Hudson Nonstop and Evolve by Hudson stores in Delta Air Lines’ concourse.
Hudson Nonstop, which will be powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One, is expected to open within the next few months, while Evolve is planned for early 2023.
Stannah, a specialist in lift products for public spaces, the workplace and the home, has launched a video powered retail service, Stannah Live.
This will allow its customers to view live product demonstrations from the comfort of their own homes.
Stannah has partnered with Emplifi Live Commerce on this initiative.
Users will be connected to a Stannah expert who will guide the customer through the process whether they have chosen to simply browse its range of products in live video call with the ability to ask questions in the chat feature or chosen to have a ‘face to face’ conversation.
UK-based online marketplace, OnBuy, is using Oracle NetSuite to improve financial operations and reporting and support its growing customer base which is now served by more than 11,000 retailers hosting over 36 million products.
Star Concessions has announced the opening of Grab & Fly, a checkout-free shopping experience at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
Powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, this lets people grab what they need and leave the store, without having to wait in checkout lines.
Cold drinks, snacks, travel accessories, electronics and souvenirs are among the products offered.
To enter Grab & Fly, travellers insert their credit card at the entry gate. Once inside, anything they take off the shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart, and anything they put back on the shelf comes out of said cart.
After they have left the store, their credit card will be charged for the items they took. Associates are available in store to assist customers, answer questions, and re-stock shelves as needed.
Kwik Trip, a convenience store chain in the US, is partnering with RELEX Solutions to implement automated planograms, floor planning, and supply chain optimisation solutions.
RELEX will service the retailer’s stores throughout the Midwest United States.
Walmart is launching two new immersive experiences on the Roblox metaverse platform: Walmart Land and Walmart’s Universe of Play.
The former will bring fashion, style, beauty and entertainment items to the Roblox community of over 52 million daily users.
The latter, meanwhile, is pitched as “the ultimate virtual toy destination in Roblox, just in time for those oh-so-real holiday wish lists”.
Developed alongside Journey, who supported development, and Publicis Groupe’s Power of One Agency, Walmart’s lead creative and media agency, the experiences offer Roblox users the chance to “engage and interact with all the top items everybody wants from Walmart - in a virtual way”.
Woodie’s, a DIY, home and garden retailer, is partnering with same-day delivery platform buymie.
From 10th October, customers in South East Dublin can use buymie’s personal shopping services to order 20,000 DIY and home improvement products from their nearest Woodie’s store and receive items to their doorstep in as little as two hours.
This builds on a UK trial of Asda Express powered by buymie in Leeds and Bristol where the latter has integrated into the retailer's offering of delivery options.
Secret Sales, a marketplace for fashion, sportswear and beauty brands, has announced a partnership with Puma.
As a result, the sportswear retailer will be able to distribute excess inventory and made for outlet products on Secret Sales’ marketplace.
According to Puma, this means it can “focus on full price inventory on its own sites and other channels whilst having full control of its brand, offer and pricing on Secret Sales”.
The firm plans to double its active listings on the marketplace to over 1,500 products before the end of September.
Emarsys has announced a partnership with Huel.
It says that the agreement equips the meal replacement brand with “a single source of truth for a 360-degree view of each customer, impacting everything from marketing material to customer service route”.
