Check out the most read RTIH retail technology articles of 2022 so far
As we cross the halfway point of 2022, here’s a look at our most popular retail systems articles during the first six months of the year, including Thought, Clekt, AiFi, Currys, Bolt’s Ryan Breslow, Carrefour, Majid Al Futtaim, and the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards.
Thought goes live with Shopify integration thanks to Clekt tie up
Sustainable fashion brand Thought has gone live on Shopify as part of its digital transformation programme in partnership with data optimisation specialist Clekt.
Thought invested into the Enterprise Data Hub from Clekt to integrate to multiple systems, centralise business data and put data driven processes at the heart of their business transformation agenda.
AiFi leads the way in autonomous retail space
RTIH gets the lowdown on AiFi, a trailblazing company which offers customised, AI powered solutions to help retailers of all sizes become fully autonomous.
Currys launches range of hoverboards for hassle free commuting
As an April Fools’ Day joke, UK omnichannel retailer Currys said it was now selling hoverboards that fly up to 4ft in height.
A press release noted: “Thanks to ground-breaking new HovAir technology, our new hoverboards are designed to get people from A to B without having to battle traffic on the daily commute.”
It added: “Coming in a range of multiple colours, the hoverboards are looking like being one of this summer’s hottest trends, and are already flying off the shelves.”
Arf.
Analysing the demise of rapid grocery delivery startups Buyk and Fridge No More
It has been an, erm, eventful, 2022 for the rapid grocery delivery industry, with two major players, Buyk and Fridge No More, both shutting down operations.
On the surface, the apparent reason is that both companies have Russian founders, and the events in Ukraine have resulted in them losing access to capital due to sanctions.
But there is more to the story, observes Brittain Ladd, a former Amazon exec and supply chain consultant.
Bolt boss Ryan Breslow blames ‘irresponsible’ Stripe for Fast failure
Ryan Breslow, founder of online checkout technology startup, Bolt, has given his (erm, colourful) take on why rival firm Fast failed.
Carrefour makes metaverse move as it buys land in The Sandbox
Carrefour has bought land in The Sandbox, a virtual gaming world where players can build, own, and monetise their experiences.
Elodie Perthuisot, Chief E-Commerce, Digital Transformation and Data Officer and EXCOM member at Carrefour, said in a LinkedIn post: “This is our first move in the metaverse on The Sandbox. A virtual field and above all a field of innovation for Carrefour, in line with our digital transformation strategy.”
“The field will be at the heart of our metaverse activities, as we experiment, to understand the evolutions of retail and consumption that will come. Concrete projects will follow soon.”
2022 RTIH Innovation Awards: don’t delay, enter today!
The fourth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards is now open for entries.
The awards, sponsored by PMC and 3D Cloud by Marxent, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Deadline for submissions is 4th November, with winners being announced at an exclusive event in central London during December.
It’s free to enter and you can make submissions across multiple categories.
Further information can be found here.
Nike launches Nikeland, Roblox experience in New York store
After venturing in to the virtual world of Roblox in November, Nike has brought its Nikeland experience to the brand’s New York City store on Fifth Avenue.
Throughout January, the Kids space - 1F floor of Nike NYC, House of Innovation - featured visual elements decked out in the theme, while augmented reality features through Snapchat Lenses offered avatars and games.
A new deal for data in the metaverse: how to create value for all
Check out this insightful article by Joe Abi Akl, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Majid Al Futtaim and Guillaume Thfoin, Head of Business Analytics & Intelligence, Majid Al Futtaim.
H&M becomes first ever metaverse clothing retailer
H&M has opened a virtual store in Ceek City and became the first clothing location in the metaverse.
Ethereum-based project Ceek announced on Twitter: “Shopping in the metaverse with $CEEK Concept VR store presented to H&M by CEEK creates mainstream use cases for $CEEK + scaling virtual reality beyond games.”
Customers can walk through the store, choose the products they want and buy them in the Ceek City universe.
They will also have the opportunity to later order the products at physical H&M stores with Ceek currency.
