Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List interview: Celia Van Wickel

As part of a series of interviews with those who made it on to the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List, we discuss the likes of rapid delivery services, the metaverse, drones, micro-fulfilment, and autonomous solutions with Celia Van Wickel, Global Director and Head of Omnichannel Analytics at Mars Wrigley Confectionery.

RTIH: What does recognition as a retail tech influencer mean to you?

CVW: It was a pleasant surprise, and personally, an honour, to be recognised among some great people who I admire and follow as a fellow retail tech influencer.

When I started posting on LinkedIn at the beginning of the pandemic, it was simply to build a network in the digital commerce and retail space, helping me navigate trends in my former E-commerce Insights and Analytics role at The Coca-Cola Company.

Over time, I realised trends reported in the industry news were only part of the story. The industry was looking for guidance on the bigger picture of the tech trends.

Using my insights background, I started to talk about the “so what” to the stories. The industry took kindly to my sentiments, which has further connected me to the retail tech space.

Being an influencer provides continual learning and diversification of thought that I was able to bring to my role at Kantar, guiding large CPG, retailers, and other companies on digital commerce trends and strategy.

RTIH: Who have been the big retail winners and losers during the coronavirus outbreak?

CVW: The winners and losers from the pandemic are still being assessed.

When I think of retail winners, I tend to focus on digital commerce given my area of focus. In the US, two retailers have continued to grow digital sales, Target and Costco. Costco simply wins on the love of Costco from shoppers more than any tech investment they have made.

Target is my first choice as a retail winner, despite some macroeconomic headwinds on the horizon. Its curbside pickup experience is best in class.

It is one of the few where there is no order minimum, and orders are fulfilled on-demand. On-demand is the trend moving forward, pushing same-day fulfilment.

Kroger is an interesting retailer to watch given they are entering purely digital markets and embracing 30-minute delivery. Tesco in the UK is also aiming to be a digital winner. The other winner is social commerce.

Social commerce, along with TikTok, grew during the pandemic. It has created a network driven way to shop which shows no signs of slowing down and will only mould deeper into connected shopping in years to come.

The losers seem to be companies that were over-invested with VC funding, namely rapid delivery. Rapid delivery as a 15-minute model supported by manual dark stores does not work, the bubble is bursting. Companies are continuing to fold and consolidate.

The idea of quick commerce still has merit, but as noted, as on-demand within an hour, with centralised and automated fulfilment.

It should be offered as one option for delivery, not the only option, as it meets more grab and go and last minute needs, not everyday shopping needs. I do believe online shopping fulfilment will be pressured to be faster, but not fast for the sake of fast.

RTIH: What are your retail predictions for 2022 and beyond?

CVW: Retailers will continue to invest and test in digital to enhance profitability within their ecosystems, prioritising technology that will position them for growth in uncertain times. Automated micro-fulfilment and autonomous solutions are areas still fully untapped for growth.

The metaverse will move even further into what I’m calling virtual commerce. It will likely stay centralised, but more testing will happen that will unlock new virtual engagement and shopping experiences.

Rapid delivery will shift to on-demand, slower, but still quick delivery. Only a few pureplay quick commerce players will remain as is. It will continue to change rapidly over the next 12 months.

Instacart will go public once the tech stocks stabilise and may surprise despite scrutiny over their business model. I’ve been one of those giving them a hard time.

I do believe they are being judicious with their route to IPO. I thought perhaps they would get acquired, but I think Fidji Simo is set on taking the company public in its current state.

Amazon will become a bigger player in grocery, but still small. Amazon is bullish on their Fresh store expansion, more than reported. Amazon will revolutionise same-day delivery across categories.

Livestreaming in the US will become video-based shopping, then always live.

E-commerce growth will continue with deeper digital integration in stores and in emerging platforms, but it will be unbalanced and back to pre-pandemic growth. E-commerce is currently being right sized to normal levels.

Pickup will mould more into an on-demand model and offer drive-thru.

RTIH: What will be the must watch retail technologies over the next year?

CVW: I have a personal affinity for the big picture potential of what the metaverse will bring. We are still in the early stages, so I’m watching closely the test and learn that will continue in this space.

The entire vision of the metaverse will not necessarily come to light, but the way it will mould interactions virtually and in real-time with friends and family has immense potential.

I have a daughter who will talk with her best friend on video chat for hours doing nothing, that friend will even join us at the dinner table. With the metaverse, her best friend will be able to join us virtually in the future.

As noted, I am watching micro-fulfilment and autonomous solutions, namely autonomous vehicles. With labour pressures remaining and profitability along with speed coming to a head, these solutions will continue to evolve and be integrated by retailers. Amazon is hiring to build micro-fulfilment that will push them further into fast delivery.

Big Data, supported by AI and machine learning, whether true AI or not, is going to continue to have growing importance in real-time data solutions from retail operations to retail media data value.

Retail media is another area to watch, to see how far retailers can become media companies outside
of Amazon, focused across the marketing funnel and harmonised across retailers for consolidated buying and results for brands.

RTIH: Which technologies are overhyped in your opinion?

CVW: Drones are a big question mark in my mind. I love big picture thinking, and drones fit that bill, but it does not make as much sense as other technology.

There are so many hurdles, from FAA regulations to costs that need to be aligned. I see the use cases in healthcare, but in online fulfilment drones need a lot of improvement.

Drones cannot fulfil larger orders in which weight is a problem. The cost is sky high to fulfil orders and needs to be below $5 per order as other Amazon fulfilment.

Amazon is still in the baby stages, still piloting. Walmart is more aggressive. Drones are also a 1:1 delivery mechanism which does not bode well for profitability.

Delivery of one box of Cheez-It crackers via drones is not profitable. I also believe the essence of 15-minute delivery will be going away, only in select urban areas.

if the warehouse is near a customer, but more as a delighter than an expectation.

Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List of 2023

We’re now accepting nominations for our Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List of 2023.

This annual offering, which is presented in no particular order, covers retailers, technology suppliers, startups, consultants, analysts, and thought leaders who are making an impact in the retail technology space.

Does that sound like you or one of your colleagues?

If so, make sure you submit your nomination, via the below form, before Friday, 27th January.