RTIH runs through 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 omnichannel fashion personalisation and engagement platforms, rapid delivery services, and department stores in the metaverse.
3DLOOK
3DLOOK has announced the launch of YourFit 2.0, an omnichannel fashion personalisation and engagement platform.
The out of the box solution is designed to help fashion brands and retailers fight massive increases in return rates.
It offers the combination of a photorealistic virtual try-on experience with instant feedback on what size would fit best, powered by technology that captures and processes customers’ body data.
YourFit 2.0 also introduces a new personalised recommendation engine that lets people virtually try on AI picked items based on the shopper’s body shape and measurements, fit preference, inventory and best sellers.
A social sharing feature, meanwhile, encourages shoppers to share their try-on with a single tap.
Walgreens Boots Alliance
Walgreens Boots Alliance plans to open 22 robot powered micro-fulfilment centres across the US to fill customers’ prescriptions.
By 2025, as much as half of the retailer’s total prescription volume could be filled at the automated hubs, says Rex Swords, Walgreens’ Group President of Centralised Services, Operations and Planning.
Orbit Baby
Emplifi reports that online retailer Orbit Baby has selected its ShopStream by Go Instore solution.
Customers will now be able to connect to product experts for live demos and consultations.
Asda
Buymie has launched a one-hour grocery shopping service in Leeds and Bristol in partnership with Asda, allowing customers to access the latter’s full online range of products with the on-demand delivery platform.
Buymie's network of personal shoppers will pick, pack and deliver each order, giving customers the ability to submit any preferences and discuss their requests, including the type of substitutes they would accept if their original choices were unavailable.
The service, which will operate under the brand Asda Express powered by Buymie, will be initially trialled for three months across selected postcodes within a three mile radius of ten Asda stores in Leeds and Bristol and will create 60 new jobs in the two cities.
AS Monaco
Capital Block has inked a a deal to become the official NFT agency of French football club AS Monaco.
Capital Block will grow the NFT community within AS Monaco, launch NFTs to the club’s fans, create and build a full strategy in this space, and also advise it on the best platforms to work with.
Evergreen
A2Z Smart Technologies Corp. has announced the expansion of a pilot for its Cust2Mate smart carts with Evergreen Kosher Market.
These are now available also at Evergreen's Pomona, New Jersey location in the US.
The smart carts recognise every purchased item and enable in-cart payment so that shoppers skip lines, while also allowing grocers to direct shoppers to discounted products and in-store promotions.
WHSmith and Deliveroo
Deliveroo has announced a rapid delivery partnership with WHSmith, marking its first major push into the general merchandise space.
WHSmith is launching the service in Reading, Berkshire, and will roll it out across nine more stores over the next week, covering Richmond, south-west London, Muswell Hill, north London, Chiswick, west London, Brighton, East Sussex, Cambridge, Oxford, Leeds, West Yorkshire, St Albans, Hertfordshire, and Guildford in Surrey.
The trial will offer about 600 products to customers, including stationery, home working equipment, and technology accessories.
Sodexo
Sodexo will bring eat>NOW autonomous grocery stores, high tech vending machines, and virtual dining concepts delivered by robots to campuses across the US this spring.
“Students want three things: convenience, choice, and quality – often in that order,” says Kevin Rettle, Global Vice President, Sodexo Innovation and Digital, Universities.
“Sodexo is in the business of helping our clients meet those needs head on, so we’re introducing campuses to the latest in innovative foodservice with eat>NOW autonomous grocery stores, high tech vending, partnering with the top brands that students are looking for, and delivering it to their doors.
Selfridges
As part of Metaverse Fashion Week, Selfridges has unveiled a virtual department store in Decentraland, joining more than 70 brands, artists and designers in creating “a new experience at the intersection of fashion and technology’.
In a LinkedIn post, Selfridges said: “For the first time, you'll be able to view the exclusive UNIVERSE NFTs by Paco Rabanne and Fondation Vasarely in-situ in our flagship metaverse store.”
It added: “This is the first meta department store in the history of Web3 and anybody can visit. Interact as a guest or attach your crypto wallet to access all features, while keeping your in-world progress and digital assets safe.”
EE
EE has invited football fans to experience its 5G Superstore at Wembley Stadium, pitched as a world first 5G powered augmented reality shopping experience guided by an avatar of England and Liverpool FC player Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Opening for the England international friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast on Saturday, 26th March and Tuesday, 29th March respectively, fans were able to browse and purchase official England match day merchandise via AR tech.
