October 2022: top 10 most clicked RTIH retail technology articles

These are the RTIH retail systems articles that caught your fancy during October, including Clarks, TikTok,  Walmart, Getir, and AiFi.

Shoe retailer Clarks is winning at TikTok. Here’s why

After a retailer that is successfully tapping TikTok? Then look no further than Clarks.

In a LinkedIn post, Elle-Louise Wilmot, Rotational Graduate at TikTok and Founder at Truly Twenties, says: “Not enough people are talking about the Clarks TikTok channel. So I’m going to.”

The company can teach a lot of brands how to maximise their potential on the platform, she argues.

“They’ve been jumping onto trends with reactive content. Sometimes being the first out of brands to take the opportunity,” Wilmot comments.

“AKA; getting their graphic designer editing corn into the shoes for the viral corn song AND then photoshopping Rodger Cleye into their content.”

She adds: “They are on it and they are quick.”

RTIH announces judging panel for 2022 retail technology awards

RTIH has finalised the judging panel for its 2002 Innovation Awards, featuring representatives from the likes of Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Stanley Black & Decker, and Compass Group.

Evri taps machine learning and AI for Parcel Vision solution

Evri has developed bespoke software designed to improve parcel delivery accuracy and customer communication, ahead of this year’s peak Christmas period.

This is currently being trialled regionally in the UK.

Parcel Vision has been designed to detect and flag any safe place photos that are taken by the courier as proof of delivery but which fail to show the parcel and where it has been left.

This is for when the parcel may not be clearly visible, be too close to the lens or the camera lens covered.

The software has been developed using a machine learning model that was trained using thousands of SafePlace photos and will detect these issues, alert the courier explaining the problem and ask them retake the photo.

THG Ingenuity boosts tech platform with Jitterbit tie up

Jitterbit has announced a partnership with THG Ingenuity, the end to end e-commerce business of THG, formerly known as The Hut Group.

This will see the latter use Jitterbit’s API integration technologies to connect to clients' existing business systems, such as warehouse and logistics platforms, ERP software and third-party delivery.

Getir to acquire rapid delivery rival Gorillas: Here’s why it had to happen

Quick commerce big hitter, Getir, is in advanced talks to buy rival Gorillas, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The proposed deal would be a mix of cash and equity.

The Bloomberg article notes that, “the combination would give Getir, which is backed by Mubadala Investment Co. and Sequoia Capital, scale in key European markets, including the UK and Germany.”

“Gorillas, which last raised funds at a $3 billion valuation a year ago, has been exploring options after investors became more cautious on the money losing industry. Representatives for Getir and Gorillas declined to comment."

AiFi opens 80 computer vision powered autonomous stores

AiFi has reached the milestone of 80 autonomous retail stores open worldwide.

By working with technology providers and retailers such as Verizon, Microsoft, Carrefour, Aldi, Compass Group, Sodexo, Choice Market and Żabka Group, AiFi says that it has deployed the largest number of camera only, computer vision powered stores across North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia.

Made.com notches up a social commerce first with Pinterest campaign

Furniture and homewares retailer Made.com has launched its first Idea Ads with Paid Partnership campaign on Pinterest, making it the first brand to do so in the UK.

To support its Never Ordinary campaign, the company’s collaboration with two creators on the platform (Kerry Lockwood and Little Big Bell) aims to inspire Pinners to style unique spaces in their houses with bright and colourful touches. 

Pinterest recently launched Idea Ads with Paid Partnership to enable businesses to collaborate with a creator to produce “immersive, interactive branded content that consists of images and videos to tell a story and inspire the creator’s audience to action”.

It also provides companies the ability to scale collaborative content beyond the creator’s audiences by promoting it to their target audiences and measuring performance on Pinterest’s ad platform.

Walmart preps Electric Fest music festival experience in the metaverse

Walmart has announced Electric Fest, building on its Roblox metaverse announcement

Last month, users could jump back into Walmart Land’s Electric Island, which was inspired by the world’s greatest music festivals.

For the first time on Roblox, the retailer was hosting a festival experience, featuring Madison Beer, Kane Brown and YUNGBLUD, for people to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes.

Electric Fest was a motion capture concert that aimed to “celebrate self-expression through music”.

Foodhub calls on new UK Prime Minister to curb spiralling food prices

Online takeaway firm Foodhub has erected a giant inflatable duck outside Downing Street and called on the incoming Prime Minister to ‘sort out this ducking shambles’, after food costs spiralled under Liz Truss’ short reign.

The company is protesting against what it calls “government inaction over rising costs” and demanding the new PM (Rishi Sunak) confront the issue head on.

Klarna’s Sebastian Siemiatkowski and the curious case of tweeting tech CEOs

Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Co-founder and CEO at buy now, pay later big hitter Klarna, has been at it again on Twitter.

In September, he set his sights on Martin Lewis, after the financial journalist, broadcaster and founder of the MoneySavingExpert website criticised Deliveroo for adding Klarna as a payment option.

Siemiatkowski tweeted: “Interesting @MartinSLewis! @Deliveroo should accept credit cards with up to 54% interest…But not Klarna that offers debit and interest free credit? Curious, does your money saving website make affiliate money from selling credit cards?”

He then doubled down, responding to an article in which Lewis explained how to use 0% credit cards to make money.

“Good safe advice? Don't use debit=money you have, and sometimes BNPL at 0% no late fees. Use credit cards, borrow against all spending+invest the money. Be lured into 54% revolving? Moneysaving expert @MartinSLewis, do you make money selling credit cards?”

He added: “Klarna is NOT BNPL. BNPL is just 1 of many features. Klarna is a payments network like VISA or

MasterCard. 40% of our transactions are debit. Our ethical standards for credit are much higher than VISA/MC. No late fees. No revolving. No limit in your face. Interest caps much lower.”