Tesco, Coca-Cola, and Prada. RTIH brings you this week's coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ‘future of retail’ systems launches and deployments from the past week, including metaverse stores, food waste apps, and robot deliveries in the north of England.
Kotsovolos-Dixons South East Europe
Kotsovolos-Dixons South East Europe, an electronics retail chain in Greece and Cyprus, has been working on a pilot project with MarTech startup Displayforce.
This has enabled brands to communicate with customers in-store via an AI algorithm. The initiative has also provided stores and visitors with real-time Covid safety information.
Dr. Barbara Sturm
Dr. Barbara Sturm, aesthetics skin doctor and founder and CEO at Molecular Cosmetics, has come up with a virtual and interactive way to browse and shop her skincare collection, created by Emperia.
The metaverse store serves as an extension of the bricks and mortar Dr. Barbara Sturm Spa & Boutique.
It is broken down into four rooms: main hall, super anti-aging lab, a microbiotic room and an anti-inflammatory room which offers direct access to a tropical beach.
Customers will be able to purchase Dr. Sturm products directly from the metaverse store while experiencing and learning about new innovations and discovering exclusive content.
Tesco
Starship Technologies and Co-op
Starship Technologies has partnered with Leeds City Council and the Co-op to bring autonomous grocery delivery to the streets of Leeds.
The service will be available to 20,000 residents initially within the Adel and Tinshill area of Leeds.
Orders are made through the Starship app, which is available for download on iOS and Android, with groceries picked in local Co-op stores on Spen Lane, Tinshill and Otley Road, Adel, for rapid delivery.
The expansion in the north of England for the first time follows the introduction of autonomous deliveries in Milton Keynes, Bedford, Northampton, Cambourne, and most recently Cambridge.
Albert Czech Republic
Brain Corp, working with Tennant, has completed the deployment of over 40 autonomous in-store scrubbers with the Czech Republic’s Albert, part of the Ahold Delhaize company.
Gogoro, Globe’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corporation
Gogoro has announced a strategic partnership in the Philippines with Globe’s 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation, initially focusing on introducing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fossil fuel powered vehicles for the last mile delivery industry.
The companies will be launching a two wheel battery swapping pilot in Manila using Gogoro’s Smartscooters.
These are powered by the latter’s Swap & Go platform that uses distributed battery swapping stations to enable swapping of used batteries for new ones that quickly deliver riders full power.
This is expected to launch in Q1 2023.
Lacoste
Emperia has announced the launch of Lacoste’s first ever virtual store ahead of the holiday season.
Upon entering the experience, customers are taken through a crocodile’s mouth, where they find themselves in a showroom featuring five seasonal products, all shoppable viewed in 360°.
As users continue their journey into the second room, Emperia has developed a gamification feature that enables them to interact with more products in the Christmas range.
A third and final token gated room is nestled at the end of the store, exclusive to VIP customers in UNDW3 (Lacoste’s Web3 community) that are in possession of a Lacoste NFT.
Throughout December, ‘loot’ boxes will be dropped within this room for UNDW3 customers to collect, and five users will be selected at random daily, to win a prize.
Created in partnership, using Arianee’s token gated technology to bring this room to life, customers will be encouraged to keep coming back for new surprises.
Avon
Perfect Corp. has extended its partnership with beauty brand Avon, to roll-out a virtual try-on online shopping experience in nine initial markets.
This is initially launching in the UK, South Africa, The Philippines, Italy, Poland, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic, and Turkey.
Through Perfect Corp.’s AI and AR technology, Avon’s customers are able to instantly try on products via their mobile camera or webcam on desktop.
In the UK, the experience will be available for over 400 products, across Avon’s collection of lip, eye, and face makeup.
Klarna
Warner’s
UK independent retailer, Guy Warner, has got onboard with food waste app, Gander, by installing its technology in his latest flagship store in Upton-Upon-Severn.
The co-branded concept store is branded as Warner’s Supermarkets – Together with Morrisons.
The Gander app identifies reduced food items in local stores in real-time.
Open for Vintage and Luxclusif
Open for Vintage (OFV), a luxury resale technology platform and Luxclusif, a company wholly owned by Farfetch, have announced a partnership to power The Loop handbag buy back service.
The Loop is accessed directly on the former’s website and allows customers to trade in their designer handbags in exchange for store credit that can be used towards future purchases on OFV.
Customers submit product details and photographs of their bags and a proposed buy back price is generated within two days. Once accepted by the customer, the bag is sent to Luxclusif for verification, free of charge.
Once verification is complete, OFV provide the store credit to the customer and Luxclusif retain ownership of the bag, increasing the volume of pre-owned merchandise across the wider Farfetch network.
The Loop launches together with a brand new OFV website. As part of this initiative, OFV has migrated its order management solution to Onport, another wholly owned Farfetch company.
Prada
Prada has announced the seventh instalment of its Timecapsule NFT Collection.
On 1st December, in celebration of the festive season, there will be an exclusive holiday drop of a gender neutral sweater along with a gifted NFT.
The latest NFT drop is #36 in the Timecapsule collection.
Timecapsule NFT holders will have the opportunity to gain access to exclusive events and experiences including invitations to events such as Prada Extends and Prada Mode, which are held around the world.
Those from the first six drops will be in with an exclusive chance to attend Prada Extends Miami on the sidelines of Art Basel 2022.
Coca-Cola
On Thursday (24th November) evening, one of London’s most famous landmarks lit up in Coca-Cola red as thousands came together for a festive sing-along.
Following the first ever live karaoke experience on the Piccadilly Lights in 2019, Coca-Cola returned this year to lead people in Christmas carols and, of course, the Holidays Are Coming song from the brand’s Xmas television advertisement.
Those taking part could get their image streamed live onto the Piccadilly Lights, the largest advertising display in Europe, providing a moment to share with friends and family via social media.
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