The five biggest retail technology news stories of the week
It’s Friday, the week is almost done, 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 Carrefour in the metaverse, a meeting of e-commerce and crypto minds, and 3D printed meatballs from Ikea.
1. Carrefour makes metaverse move as it buys land in The Sandbox
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.”
2. Ikea offers tech talent a job interview over 3D printed meatballs
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.”
3. Asda tests out digital ID tech at self-checkouts
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 initiative is part of a Home Office test to allow the trial of technologies that can assist in the requirement for age verification in the retail sale of alcohol.
If the system detects a customer looks younger than 25, they can prove their age through the Yoti and Post Office EasyID apps.
Those who do not wish to use the system have the option to show their ID to an Asda staff member.
The trial will run until the end of May.
4. Shopify boss Tobias Lütke joins Coinbase board of directors
Tobias Lütke, CEO and founder of e-commerce platform giant Shopify, is joining cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase’s board of directors.
“We hope to unlock crypto’s potential to increase economic freedom in the same way Shopify democratised online commerce,” says Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.
He describes Lütke as a “builder at heart” and notes that he began writing computer code in his early teens. Lütke soon became an active member of the open source community, contributing to projects such as Ruby on Rails, Liquid and ActiveMerchant.
He launched an e-commerce platform in 2004 focused on selling snowboarding equipment. This soon grew into what we know today as Shopify.
“Tobi’s experience as a founder and CEO, scaling his business from a small, niche online marketplace into what has become a critical backbone of global e-commerce will help guide Coinbase as we seek to bring crypto to more people and businesses around the world,” Armstrong comments.
5. Change at the top as Shipt eyes same day delivery growth
US-based same-day delivery and last mile firm Shipt reports that Kamau Witherspoon will join the company as its new CEO, effective 1st March.
Current CEO Kelly Caruso, who has led Shipt since 2019, will transition to an advisory role through to 1st April.
Witherspoon has held leadership roles with UnitedHealthcare, Yum! Brands and Target. He was named Senior Vice President of Operations at Target in 2018.
He previously served in various roles at the retailer, including Senior Director of Store Operations.
