Check out this week's coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ‘future of retail systems’ deployments from the past week, including live shopping, the metaverse, and NFT marketplaces.
Marks and Spencer
M&S has launched a live shopping series on its website.
The service, facilitated by the retailer’s software partner LiSA, allows customers to join a live broadcast hosted by an M&S expert where they can hear more about the ranges they’re browsing, ask questions through a live chat function, view product demonstrations, and buy products as they watch.
Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies is set to deploy an AI powered platform from Afresh Technologies across its more than 2,200 supermarkets in 34 US states.
The predictive ordering and inventory solutions will help it to optimise fresh food forecasting, inventory, ordering, merchandising and operations.
Carrefour
Carrefour has bought land in The Sandbox, a virtual gaming world where players can build, own, and monetise their experiences.
Elodie Perthuisot, Chief E-Commerce, Digital Transformation and Data Officer and EXCOM member at Carrefour, said in a LinkedIn post: “This is our first move in the metaverse on The Sandbox. A virtual field and above all a field of innovation for Carrefour, in line with our digital transformation strategy.”
“The field will be at the heart of our metaverse activities, as we experiment, to understand the evolutions of retail and consumption that will come. Concrete projects will follow soon.”
Asda
Asda is trialling an automated age verification solution at self-checkouts.
From this week, as the result of a partnership with NCR and Yoti, customers at the UK grocery retailer’s Pudsey and Stevenage stores can use privacy preserving age estimation technology when purchasing alcohol, which works via a camera in the self-checkout screen.
The LEGO Group
The LEGO Group is expanding its retailtainment concept with a new store owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim in The Dubai Mall.
This opened its doors on 1st February and includes the first LEGO Minifigure Factory in the region, which allows visitors to design and create a unique Minifigure.
With LEGO Expression, meanwhile, visitors can experience digital versions of Minifigures on big screens, which mimic their facial expressions.
Ikea
As part of a Taste the Future campaign, Ikea is on the hunt for data and technology talent across Europe, to fill key roles in the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland.
And the retailer is inviting people for a job interview over experimental 3D printed Swedish meatballs.
“We are at the start of a journey to embrace data and technology to become more affordable, accessible and sustainable in an omnichannel environment,” says Inter Ikea Group CIO Pascal Pauwels.
“Naturally people with imagination will play a big role in that quest. So here we’re looking for people who want to create a better everyday life with us. This campaign is a great way to start the conversation.”
Best Buy
Best Buy has selected Amazon Web Service (AWS) as its preferred provider for cloud infrastructure services and its strategic partner for developing cloud engineering talent.
GameStop
Video game retailer GameStop is partnering with blockchain startup Immutable to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace later this year.
This will enable gamers to buy, sell and trade in-game assets.
Immutable X is a layer-2 scaling solution for NFTs on Ethereum, and GameStop will be using its liquidity platform.
The two companies have also set up a $100 million grant fund to support developers who will launch their gaming NFT projects on the marketplace.
Eve Bar
Adam Handling’s flagship bar, Eve Bar, has launched what is pitched as London’s first NFT cocktail menu collection. This consists of 13 pieces, created in collaboration with a local artist and bartenders.
Adam Handling Restaurant Group, which also includes Frog by Adam Handling in Covent Garden, restaurant and pub with guest bedrooms, The Loch & The Tyne, and the Ugly Butterfly restaurant and bar in St. Ives Cornwall, will release the London/NFT first on Opensea.
