The six biggest retail technology news stories of the week
It’s Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail systems space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past five days, including DoorDash, Wing, Coach, REWE, Trigo, and the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards.
1. DoorDash and Wing test out drone delivery service Down Under
DoorDash and Wing are working together to make drone delivery available via the former’s app in Australia, providing access to food and essentials from local restaurants and retailers in 15 minutes or less.
Launching this week the service will be tested via a pilot programme in Logan, located within the South East Queensland region.
This is the first time that Wing is integrating its drone delivery service within another marketplace.
2. Coach taps Ocean Outdoor DeepScreen 3D tech for Lil Nas X campaign
Coach has gone live with a 3D technology powered extension of its Courage to Be Real campaign on the world famous Piccadilly Lights in Piccadilly Circus, London.
Piccadilly Lights, the largest advertising display in Europe, is running this for 24 hours a day, from 7th - 13th November, with an hourly 3D full screen takeover featuring Coach brand ambassador, Lil Nas X.
This sees the rapper move through doors that represent the struggles he has faced in life, from fear, self-doubt, to judgment from others. The sequence concludes with Lil Nas X looking over Piccadilly Circus whilst performing.
3. 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards: shortlists announced
This week we have mostly been announcing the shortlists for the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards, including Bricks and Mortar, Supply Chain, Omnichannel Retail, and Payments.
It’s now over to our judging panel to decide the winners.
These will be revealed at an exclusive event in central London on Tuesday, 6th December.
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, says: “Innovation and technology play a critical role in the success of the retail sector, so it is great to recognise standout examples through our awards.”
“Thanks to all those who have entered the 2022 event. We received a record number of submissions and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.”
“I’m now looking forward to deciding the winners with our judging panel and announcing them at our central London event in December.”
4. Asda chooses Veeam as it takes control of protecting large, virtualised infrastructure
Asda has selected Veeam Software’s Availability Suite to provide backup and restore for mission critical systems.
Following its divestiture from Walmart in early 2021, the supermarket chain has taken responsibility for protecting the large, virtualised infrastructure that underpins its business.
It says that Veeam has enabled it to do this without sending IT headcount soaring.
5. REWE taps Trigo tech as it opens second hybrid autonomous store
A new REWE store powered by Trigo technology has gone live in the central Berlin neighbourhood, Prenzlauer Berg.
Following REWE’s first hybrid autonomous store in Cologne, the Berlin location is nearly double the size at around 400 square metres.
“We worked closely with REWE to integrate with IoT devices to provide Pick&Go shoppers with the full REWE shopping experience,” says Michael Gabay, CEO at Trigo.
“The Berlin store will feature a smart scale that enables frictionless checkout shoppers to buy produce by weight for the first time in REWE’s autonomous stores.”
“In a first for Trigo – this store will support bottle recycling deposit machines, for which, together with our partners at REWE, we developed a solution specific to the hybrid model to differentiate between traditional and Pick&Go shoppers.”
He adds: “Most importantly, this store marks a technological and commercial milestone for Trigo – it boasts the largest number of SKUs in a store we have opened yet.”
“One of the key challenges in building increasingly larger stores is to support significantly more SKUs. At an impressive 10,000 SKUs, the REWE Berlin store demonstrates our significant progress in building increasingly larger stores.”
6. Digital fashion marketplace Depop hits Sook Oxford Street from 11th-13th November
Peer-to-peer social e-commerce company, Depop, is encouraging people to buy secondhand and circular fashion through a series of pop-ups hosted by top sellers at Sook.
For three days only, Depop will step into the real world at the Sook Oxford Street, London space.
Celiapops and Identity Party will be on Europe’s busiest shopping street on 11th and 12th November with an edit of handpicked vintage and Y2K pieces, including an entire downstairs sale section with prices starting at £5.
They will be followed by IMI MADAN, Scotty Taylor, and SORTED, bringing their offering of men’s and women’s designer and streetwear to the space on Sunday, 13th November.
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