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 drone deliveries down under, rapid grocery services in France, and sustainable stores in the UAE.
Boots UK
Boots UK has implemented Recite Me assistive and language support technology across its online store.
Director of E-commerce at Boots.com Paula Bobbett says: “We know that shopping online or in-store isn’t as easy as it should be for everyone.”
“Hence why we’ve launched Recite Me to make it easier for people to navigate our site in the way that works best for them. We have also worked on a Boots best practice guide for our suppliers to ensure they also have this front of mind.”
Wing and Coles
Alphabet’s drone service Wing has hit 200,000 commercial deliveries across global markets, excluding test flights.
Australia, which has been the primary market for testing and commercial deployment, comprises 30,000 of those deliveries in the first two months of this year.
The venture has also announced a partnership with Australian supermarket chain Coles.
Its customers can now order up to 250 items from Coles, with the likes of bread, fresh produce, snacks, meals, health care items, kitchen essentials, and toilet paper being delivered by drone in minutes.
Walmart
Following its acquisition last year of Zeekit, creator of a virtual fitting room platform, Walmart is rolling out the venture’s tech, starting with a Choose My Model feature, to users of the retailer’s app and website.
Its customers are able to select from 50 models at launch, based on their height, body shape and skin tone, to have a better sense of how clothing will look on them.
Amazon
Amazon has opened an Amazon Fresh store in Southwark, London, powered by its Just Walk Out technology.
Situated at 110 Southwark Street, SE1 0TA, this is the first of these checkout-free stores to launch in the UK during 2022.
It’s also the 16th such location on these shores, lining up alongside the likes of Camden, Ealing, White City Canary Wharf and Holborn Chancery Lane.
Gopuff
US-based quick commerce startup, Gopuff, has announced its official launch across France, building on a roll-out last year in the UK.
The venture now serves all of Paris and the majority of Île-de-France, as well as parts of Marseille, Lille and Toulouse, with plans to expand across the country.
Zippin
US-based checkout-free technology firm Zippin has announced the opening of its second store in Houston’s NRG Stadium, in partnership with Aramark, the venue’s exclusive food and beverage provider.
Circle K and Farmstead
Grocery e-commerce startup Farmstead has struck an agreement with Circle K which will see the pair piloting projects in supply chain, distribution and e-commerce fulfilment and leveraging the former’s Grocery OS software.
In addition, Circle K has made an undisclosed equity investment in Farmstead via its Circle K Venture Fund.
American Eagle
American Eagle is set to make its Roblox debut to promote a spring Members Always collection that draws on vintage and prep styles and pushes inclusivity messaging.
Headlining the campaign images and video are tennis player, Coco Gauff, actor and musician Joshua Bassett, actors Madelyn Cline, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Michael Evans Behling, and multi-hyphenate mxmtoon.
The retailer has partnered with Livetopia, a role playing game on Roblox, to create a virtual AE Members Always Club that users can explore while hunting for apparel based on the aforementioned collection.
Carrefour UAE
Carrefour has opened its first BIO store in the UAE, featuring the retailer’s first ever café and an in-store hydroponic farm.
With over 3,000 items to choose from, the store specialises in healthy and organic products spanning from food and beverages to beauty, personal, and home care items.
Metaverse Fashion Week
Tokens.com has announced that Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Elie Saab, Etro, Jacob & Co., and Tommy Hilfiger have joined the official lineup for the first ever Metaverse Fashion Week.
The event will be held on property owned by Tokens.com’s subsidiary, Metaverse Group, and leased to Decentraland as the host.
It will take place from 24th-27th March.
Brands are scheduled to host virtual fashion shows featuring avatar models, runways, pop-up shops, and afterparties. There will also be a range of events, presentations and installations.
