March 2022: retail technology deals and deployments at a glance
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, deployments and pilots from March, including Kroger, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Starbucks, Amazon, Superdrug, Asos, and Carrefour.
The Kroger Co. and NVIDIA have announced a strategic collaboration involving artificial intelligence powered applications and services.
The pair will build an AI lab and demonstration centre.
The aim is to expand Kroger’s freshness initiatives, improve shipping logistics and create a better shopping experience in stores through digital twin simulations — virtual models designed to accurately reflect store layouts and other operations.
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.
Robotic technology from GreyOrange will be used at Walmart Canada’s new $118 million sortable fulfilment centre in Rocky View County, Alberta, located just outside of Calgary.
The facility will be capable of: shipping 20 million items annually from the facility to Walmart customers; storing 500,000 items to fulfil direct to home and in-store pickup orders; and designed to optimise packaging, minimise waste and reduce transportation costs.
It is slated to open in September and is part of Walmart Canada’s $3.5 billion investment to make the online and in-store shopping experience simpler, faster and more convenient for its customers.
Superdrug has announced the upcoming launch of Superdrug Marketplace for premium and emerging brands.
The platform is set to go live in September this year.
It is powered by Mirakl and Superdrug owner AS Watson’s strategic technology partner SAP and will be integrated into the existing Superdrug.com website.
KPS Digital will be responsible for the project delivery.
Starbucks is set to deploy new handheld ordering devices to stores.
It is planning to launch Shift Marketplace, an app designed to make it easy for partners to switch and offer shifts virtually, along with a waste and recycling app.
And it will also expand the Starbucks safety Lyft programme to provide rides home for partners after dark.
Plans are also afoot to expand to 55,000 stores in over 100 markets by 2030.
Amazon has opened an Amazon Fresh store in Kensington, London, powered by its Just Walk Out technology.
Located at 138 Kensington High Street, this is the 17th such location in the UK, lining up alongside the likes of Southwark, Camden, Ealing, White City Canary Wharf and Holborn Chancery Lane.
To shop, customers scan the QR code from their Amazon app, buy what they need, and walk out.
Ted Baker has launched a new website in partnership with BigCommerce.
The latter worked with Wunderman Thompson Commerce to integrate Bloomreach’s content management solution, and Bloomreach Discovery, its search and merchandising solution, into the Ted Baker store.
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.”
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.
Asos has signed a new agreement with Microsoft that will see the fast fashion giant continue to use Microsoft Cloud as its preferred cloud platform for the next five years.
The retailer taps Microsoft Azure and its AI capabilities to power its digital platforms and support new data led workstreams.
Through the renewed partnership, it will work with Microsoft to launch new projects to support and accelerate its strategic growth plans.
These focus on unlocking new customer experiences and business capabilities, such as Asos’ Partner Fulfilment programme, which aims to expand the range and availability of products, and maximise demand conversion, customer choice and stock availability.
As part of Metaverse Fashion Week, Selfridges 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.”
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.
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.
Electronics retailer MediaMarkt is set to deliver its online orders in a CO2 neutral way and on the same day via the Bringly platform.
Orders will be processed and delivered by bicycle or electric cars from stores and various MediaMarkt hubs.
Bringly and MediaMarkt have launched the service in the Netherlands (49 stores). Belgium (24 stores) is expected to follow later this year.
