August 2022: top ten coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his stand out ‘future of retail’ systems deployments from August, including TikTok shops, 3D commerce, augmented reality experiences, and Bitcoin payments at football matches.
Cainz Corporation
Japan’s Cainz Corporation, a home improvement chain with 230 stores, has announced a new autonomous location, called Cainz Mobile Store, on the first floor of its HQ in Honjo City, Saitama.
The computer vision technology implemented into the store, powered by US-based AiFi, will allow customers to shop for Cainz brand household products and snack items without having to go through a cash register or self-checkout.
This will open in the near future and may expand to other locations in the future.
Nike
In celebration of Nike’s 50th anniversary, BUCK has partnered with the company’s Global Brand Experience team to bring its past, present, and future to life through a WebAR experience.
Powered by Zappar’s ZapWorks platform, this provides a portal into the Department of Nike Archives for visitors to Nike stores.
Pinterest and Waitrose
Pinterest has launched Waitrose’s latest campaign on its platform, showcasing its “colourful variety in food choices for this year’s summer dishes”.
Raising awareness of its “high quality products and everyday food range”, the retailer is looking to inspire Pinners to prepare tasty meals, utilising Pinterest’s immersive ad format, the Pin Extension, for the first time.
Waitrose’s campaign features an interactive look book allowing Pinners to select from one of four different summer food options including dishes from around the world ‘World Eating’, dishes ‘Made for Sharing’, ‘Perfect Picnics’ and ‘Brilliant BBQs’.
They will then be shown a selection of dishes and recipes, including tips and tricks on how to perfect each one, with a shopping list specifically for that recipe that the user can have to hand ahead of their next grocery shop.
MillerKnoll and 3D Cloud by Marxent
3D Cloud by Marxent, a specialist in 3D e-commerce for furniture and home improvement, has announced a partnership with design company MillerKnoll.
The pair are launching a new, code free system for building and maintaining consumer facing, web-based 3D product configurators for furniture e-commerce, powered by 3D Cloud.
Earlier this year, 3D product configurators built with the app were launched in select Herman Miller retail stores.
These are now available via the Herman Miller contract website in the US and are expected to roll-out to the firm’s websites serving consumers and international markets in mid-2023.
Interior designers and trade professionals now have the ability to customise designs such as the Aeron chair in real-time and then buy their final configuration online.
The apps allow shoppers to visualise every possible combination, get accurate pricing as they design, download images at any stage in the process, and share them with friends and family.
Smart Robotics
Smart Robotics, a specialist in picking automation as a service for warehouses and logistics processes, has officially launched its latest cobot - the Smart Fashion Picker.
This can pick a large variety of fashion items, which are placed in protective wrapping, straight from a cart or bin.
Vision sensors, motion and task planning algorithms help the cobot to calculate what to pick next, as well as how to pick and place the item accurately into the next bin, and it can easily detect when the bin is empty or filled.
DoorDash
RELEX Solutions and DoorDash have announced a partnership to implement the former’s AI driven supply chain planning solution to service the latter’s DashMart locations.
RELEX uses machine learning to create accurate forecasts that will optimise product availability at DashMart locations.
Holland & Barrett
Holland & Barrett has launched a TikTok shop.
In a LinkedIn post, Primal Mistry, Head of Digital Trading at Holland & Barrett, said: “It’s been really fascinating seeing how powerful the impact of TikTok trends has been on driving performance in key parts of our proposition - in particular health and beauty supplements.”
He added: “So it’s been great to get this project over the line to be able to directly sell initially a small range of trending products through TikTok.”
“Fantastic cross collaboration in a short space of time with Laura Ross (Head of Customer Transformation at Holland & Barrett), Jonny Excell (Head of Social and Content) and Jade Riley (Customer Programme Manager - Personalisation).”
Oxford City FC
Oxford City FC has become the first English National League club to accept match day payments in Bitcoin after entering a multi-year partnership with CoinCorner.
Supporters will be able to purchase tickets, food and drink inside the RAW Charging Stadium with Bitcoin and Lightning, as an alternative to traditional cash and card methods.
The move means payments can also be made using CoinCorner's Bolt Card - pitched as the world's first contactless Bitcoin Lightning card.
To mark the tie up, CoinCorner have produced a limited edition run of Oxford City FC branded Bolt Cards which are available to buy in the club shop.
DICK’S Sporting Goods
DICK'S Sporting Goods has launched School of Sport, an interactive experience on the Roblox platform.
Users can participate in various challenges, quests and obstacle courses, also known as “obbys”.
Consisting of six virtual spaces, School of Sport takes place at DICK'S Sporting Goods High.
"It is important for us to continue evolving the way we engage with consumers,” says Ed Plummer, Chief Marketing Officer at DICK'S Sporting Goods.
“We are excited to make our entrance into the metaverse with School of Sport, creating a space to share sport and style while also connecting with our younger athletes.”
Starbucks
Starbucks says it will unveil a Web3 initiative at its Investor Day event during September.
This was first flagged up in early 2022.
During its fiscal Q2 2022 earnings call, the coffee giant said that NFTs can help Starbucks extend its concept of the “third place”, that is, a place between home and work where people can feel a sense of belonging over coffee.
The.company has brought in Adam Brotman, the architect of its Mobile Order & Pay system and the Starbucks app, to help serve as a special advisor on the project.
