The six biggest retail technology news stories of the week
It’s Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, 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 Tesco, Amazon, Uber Eats, and GreyOrange.
1. “What a long, strange trip it’s been” - 25 years ago this week, Amazon went public
Love them or hate them, you can’t deny the huge impact that Amazon have had on the retail and retail technology sectors.
2. Tesco veteran Luke Bayliss joins checkout-free stores firm Trigo
Luke Bayliss has joined autonomous retail specialist Trigo as Senior Operations Manager.
He was previously at Tesco where, over a 15 year period, he held such roles as Transformation Project Manager and Change Manager.
Tesco is an investor in Trigo.
Last year, the grocery giant opened its first high street checkout-free store, powered by Trigo tech.
Named GetGo, this can be found in High Holborn, on the edge of the City of London.
3. Uber Eats green lights autonomous delivery pilots in USA
Uber Eats is launching two autonomous delivery pilots in Los Angeles with Serve Robotics and Motional.
Both of the pilots will initially deliver food from only a few merchants.
Serve’s part of the initiative will focus on shorter trips in West Hollywood. Motional’s will handle longer distance deliveries in Santa Monica.
Customers who place food orders via the Uber Eats app can opt to have their order delivered by a robot.
They will see a confirmation screen, receive app notifications and be able to track the robot’s location as their order approaches. Once it arrives, they can use the Uber Eats app to open the robot and retrieve their order.
4. GreyOrange bags $110 million for automated fulfilment platform
Blackrock Capital Group and Mithril Capital Management Group have announced a $110 million investment in robotic fulfilment and inventory optimisation software firm GreyOrange.
GreyOrange, which works with the likes of Walmart and H&M, says it will use the cash to “accelerate the company’s technology leadership, continue our global expansion and further support the adoption of our platform in warehouses, distribution centres and retail stores”.
The funding comes four years after a $140 million Series C round that brought the US-based company’s raise to $170 million.
5. Former Disney boss Bob Iger joins Gopuff as investor and advisor
US-based rapid delivery firm, Gopuff, has announced Bob Iger, former Disney CEO and Chairman, as an advisor and investor.
Terms of the investment were not disclosed.
“Bob Iger is one of the most important and visionary business leaders of this generation. He defined consumer engagement, product innovation, and organisational excellence,” says Gola.
“I am so proud and excited that Bob is joining team blue. Gopuff is building a platform designed for the future of the consumer industry and nobody understands consumers better than him.”
6. Tesco shoppers back people as they rage against self-service checkouts
A Tesco customer has called on the grocery giant to "stop replacing people with machines" after she was less than impressed with its self-service checkouts.
Pat McCarthy has started a petition asking for more cashiers on tills because "you can't speak to a machine".
This has been signed by almost 110,000 people.
McCarthy commented: “I challenge Ken Murphy Chief Executive of Tesco to meet with me for a discussion to explain his 'replace people with machines policy'. I want him to bring staff back to do check-outs on the till and not have a replace people with machines policy.”
“If we lose, it means an erosion of a great shopping experience into a Tesco's shopping nightmare.”
A Tesco spokesperson said: "Our colleagues and the friendly service they provide are absolutely vital to our stores and will always be on hand to help our customers, whether they are checking out at one of our colleague operated or self-service checkouts."
