June 2022: top ten coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his stand out ‘future of retail’ systems deployments from June, including 3D visualisation, planning, and design tech, drone deliveries, hybrid checkout-free stores, and adventures in the metaverse.
Kingfisher
3D Cloud by Marxent is partnering with Kingfisher to roll-out new 3D visualisation, planning, and design tech across a number of its banners.
The initiative includes a 3D kitchen, bathroom, and storage planner with virtual reality capabilities in addition to a series of mobile 3D product configurators.
Kingfisher's B&Q and Brico Depot Romania have already launched the system in the UK, Republic of Ireland and Romania.
B&Q UK has also rolled out a line-up of intuitive, mobile first 3D product configurators for fireplaces and for the Kingfisher exclusive Atomia and Alara product lines.
Using the aforementioned tools, shoppers are able to explore, design, visualise and checkout in a single app. More sophisticated design features are available for experienced designers.
Beachwaver
Perfect Corp. has partnered with hair care and hair tools brand, Beachwaver, for an interactive augmented reality try-on experience, bringing its newest boho summer Floral Collection to life.
This is available in the YouCam Makeup app.
Amazon
The 3,500 residents of Lockeford, a rural San Joaquin County town in California, will be among the first to have drones deliver their Amazon Prime packages.
“Lockeford residents will play an important role in defining the future,” Amazon said in an online post.
“Their feedback about Prime Air, with drones delivering packages in their backyards, will help us create a service that will safely scale to meet the needs of customers everywhere, while adding another innovation milestone to the town’s aviation history.”
Alimentation Couche-Tard
Alimentation Couche-Tard is set to deploy more than 10,000 Mashgin AI powered touchless checkout systems, branded as Smart Checkout, to over 7,000 of its Circle K and Couche-Tard stores during the next three years.
The agreement launches the global deployment of the solution, and is claimed to be one of the largest scale expansions of computer vision powered checkout technology to date.
It builds upon the deployment of Mashgin across nearly 500 Circle K locations in the US and Sweden since 2020, as well as at Couche-Tard's retail innovation lab store on the campus of McGill University in Montreal.
Forever 21 and Mattel
Fashion retailer, Forever 21, has announced a collaboration with Mattel’s Barbie brand.
A new limited edition collection includes a range of vintage style apparel items, swim, sleepwear, beauty, and accessories as well as home décor, inspired by the Barbie DreamHouse.
This will be simultaneously available in-store, online, and in the Forever 21 Shop City experience on Roblox.
REWE Group
REWE Group has announced the upcoming opening of a second Trigo powered hybrid checkout-free supermarket.
Located in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany, this builds on a launch last year in Cologne.
Shoppers at the 400 square metre Schönhauser Allee location can walk in and shop for items including fresh baked goods, weighted fruits and vegetables and other grocery products, then exit the store and receive a receipt within minutes.
A traditional checkout option will also be available.
Puma
Puma has entered New Tokyo, the virtual city 10KTF calls home.
The shop is known for its streetwear offerings and is owned by Wagmi-san, a digital artisan whose collections and NFT community recently welcomed the sports brand.
News of the partnership was shared at an event hosted by 10KTF in New York.
This was one of many hosted during the week of NFT.NYC, a conference attended by crypto industry professionals, traders, and other Web3 enthusiasts.
The official announcement confirmed weeks of speculation after Puma tweeted a video previewing the new release of a classic sneaker. Camouflaged in the video is a frame with the shop’s logo and Wagmi-san at his storefront.
Jisp
Jisp’s Scan & Save solution has reached a key milestone across Nisa, Londis, Budgens, Premier and Family Shopper stores in the UK.
Since its launch in September 2021, Scan & Save has achieved 260,000 scans, 142,000 vouchers issued and 122,000 redemptions.
Conversion rates between scan to voucher issued is 54% and voucher issued to redemption is 86%.
Ethan Allen
Bitreel has launched a retail metaverse experience with Ethan Allen.
The company’s initial launch of its Virtual Design Centre offering showcases its product portfolio while fostering collaboration between its interior designers and clients.
It will be further expanded with 75 indoor and outdoor room settings and more than 2,000 shoppable products.
Co-op
Co-op has extended its trial of age estimation technology into five of its stores in partnership with Diebold Nixdorf and Yoti.
The pilot – which is not facial recognition and does not retain or store images – now sees Co-op testing out Vynamic Smart Vision I Age Verification, a new Diebold Nixdorf solution that uses Yoti’s age estimation technology, in five of its Manchester stores, including one located within its Customer Support Centre where it first tested the tech last November.
The trial runs until the end of June and forms part of the UK Home Office Digital ID Sandbox, which provides an opportunity for industry and retail to test innovative approaches to age estimation.
Co-op also believes that the technology could reduce abuse and anti-social behaviour towards retail workers as asking for ID can be a flashpoint for frustration for some shoppers.
In addition, the retailer says there is the potential to make shopping quicker, easier and more convenient for customers, especially at busier times.
