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 automated supply chain processes, cryptocurrency payments, connected smart fridges, and in-store product engagement platforms.
adidas Originals
To promote the arrival of its latest Ozworld collection, adidas Originals is launching what is pitched as the world's first personality-based AI generated avatar creation platform with Ready Player Me.
Users can design an avatar through the online Ozworld experience and use it throughout over 1,500 metaverse apps and games, letting them explore virtual worlds with a consistent identity.
Metarelics
Waitrose
Waitrose and Deliveroo are expanding their rapid grocery delivery tie up by adding more than 70 new Waitrose locations.
Deliveroo customers will now be able to order Waitrose products for delivery in as little as 20 minutes from over 220 locations across the country - more than two thirds of the retailer’s stores.
Shein and Klarna
Fast fashion giant Shein will today open the doors to a London pop-up in partnership with buy now, pay later big hitter Klarna.
The #SHEINxKlarna experience, hosted in Covent Garden, will give shoppers the chance to browse the Chinese retailer’s upcoming spring collection and take part in various events and activities.
Aldi UK
Foodles
Foodles, a French startup that provides “fresh, chef prepared, affordable food” for employees at any time of the day through its connected smart fridges, has entered the UK market.
The venture currently provides 40,000 meals per week to its French customer base, including Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, ODDO BHF, Ubisoft and Veepee and has served more than one million meals to date, with over 300 fridges installed at sites across France.
Pitched as ideal for medium - to large-sized companies looking for an alternative to canteens or ‘grab and go’ solutions, Foodles’ connected smart fridges can be installed and maintained for a monthly fee.
Its proprietary technology platform tracks usage in real-time and analyses consumer preferences so that fridges can be restocked accordingly.
The Fragrance Shop
The Fragrance Shop has bought into the cryptocurrency movement.
In partnership with BitPay, customers can now shop with the e-tailer and select crypto as a payment method, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Dogecoin and Ethereum.
“We have been watching the cryptocurrency market grow and develop in the past few years, so now is the perfect time to introduce crypto payments,” says Sanjay Vadera, CEO at The Fragrance Shop.
REVOLVE
InPost UK has announced fashion retailer REVOLVE as an Instant Returns partner.
In a LinkedIn post, InPost says: “The LA-based label is seeing strong growth in the UK market and is on a mission to transform fashion retail for the 21st century.”
“And, as a firm favourite for Millennial and Gen Z shoppers, our paperless, 24/7 returns solution perfectly complements its ambition to redefine the shopping experience.”
To use the service, shoppers need to scan their QR code at an InPost locker and drop their parcel off.
Homebase
Homebase has selected RELEX Solutions to automate and optimise its supply chain processes.
RELEX will service Homebase stores across the UK and Ireland, three distribution centres and online, supporting forecasting and replenishment, allocations and promotional forecasting.
The retailer selected the RELEX Living Retail Platform for its ability to address key challenges from a single platform and automate manual processes to improve operational efficiency.
Homebase was also impressed by the use of machine learning and AI to process in-store and online data to generate accurate forecasts, allocate and replenish stock automatically and reduce out-of-stocks.
The solution will also help it to maximise stockholding using data driven replenishment processes.
Unilever
Unilever has partnered with Perch to launch an in-store product engagement platform at Giant Food supermarkets in the Washington DC area.
Interactive end caps in the beauty section incorporate a digital screen that automatically senses what products shoppers touch to respond with videos and information, without having to scan a QR code, touch a screen, download an app etc.
Using Perch’s “lift-and-learn” technology, shoppers can get more information about Unilever skincare products by touching them.
