RTIH brings you the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including Not So Dark, Walmart, Amazon, the second edition of RTIH magazine, and Critizr’s Proud Of My Store competition.
2…The second edition of RTIH magazine has launched, with a heavy focus on the online retail space.
Check it out here.
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$80 million and $105 million…French FoodTech startup Not So Dark has raised $80 million in Series B funding, led by Kharis Capital and Verlinvest, in partnership with Conviviality Ventures.
The round brings the firm’s total funding to date to $105 million.
Not So Dark launched in 2020 with delivery only menus sold on Uber Eats and Deliveroo. It has since been deployed across France with tech centric operations running out of its own dark kitchens.
Founders Clément Benoit (former Founder and CEO of Stuart) and Alexandre Haggai now aim to pivot the business around traditional restaurants instead of dedicated dark kitchens.
2…Walmart is launching two new immersive experiences on the Roblox metaverse platform: Walmart Land and Walmart’s Universe of Play.
The former will bring fashion, style, beauty and entertainment items to the Roblox community of over 52 million daily users.
The latter, meanwhile, is pitched as “the ultimate virtual toy destination in Roblox, just in time for those oh-so-real holiday wish lists”.
Developed alongside Journey, who supported development, and Publicis Groupe’s Power of One Agency, Walmart’s lead creative and media agency, the experiences offer Roblox users the chance to “engage and interact with all the top items everybody wants from Walmart - in a virtual way”.
2 and 15…Amazon has announced Prime Early Access Sale, a new two-day global shopping event exclusive to Prime members.
This begins on 11th October at 12 a.m. PDT and runs through to 12th October in 15 countries: Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the UK, and the US.
$5 million…Checkmate has secured a $5 million seed funding round led by Fuel Capital.
The startup, which is working with brands like Brooklinen, UnSpun and Bala Bangles, will use the cash to accelerate its product development and customer growth.
€500,000…Hong Kong-based retail media startup Displayforce has raised €500,000 in a pre-seed round involving NL Platform.
Displayforce.has developed an AI powered in-store performance marketing automatisation tool.
This makes it possible to measure and engage shoppers, personalise marketing communication offline, and generate new revenue through programmatic advertising.
The aim is to fill the gap between online and offline marketing with an understanding of audiences, relevant messaging, and understanding different retail media formats.
48%…New research from PayU reveals a big opportunity for international merchants to capitalise on US consumer demand not being met domestically.
The company surveyed 1,092 Americans. 48% who have bought online from retailers based abroad in the last year, have done so at least once a month.
626% and £6 million…The UK's top 25 fastest growing online retailers have been revealed with beer brewing brand Pinter topping the table.
Pinter, based in Walthamstow, London, has grown sales by 626% to almost £6 million as people save money in the cost of living crisis via pints they have brewed at home from its specially developed keg.
1…Proud Of My Store, a competition celebrating frontline teams in UK retail, has announced its overall 2022 champion: The Original Factory Shop in Haslemere, Surrey.
The prize was scooped by store manager Karen Coombes and her team at a ceremony in London last week, organised by the awards’ founder Critizr to celebrate the second year of the competition.
69% and 44%…With 28th September marking three weeks since Liz Truss was appointed the UK PM, research by Ankorstore reveals that, despite consumers’ reduced spending power in the wake of record inflation and the energy crisis, independent retailers are having to rely on the support of shoppers and their local community, rather than the government, to keep them in business.
The research was carried out online by Vitreous World and features respondents made up of 2,000 nationally representative UK consumers and 200 UK SME business owners in retail.
Whilst 69% of the latter feel optimistic that consumers will continue to support their shop, despite the cost of living crisis, fewer have faith that the new Tory government will positively support independent retailers and high streets (44%).
19, 200 and 20%…Amazon Fresh has launched a Price Cut promotion in the UK.
Its 19 Just Walk Out technology powered stores have dropped the prices of over 200 products.
Amazon says that this is to “help customers save on their home essentials whilst the cost of living crisis puts further pressure on household costs”.
The promotion offers reductions of up to 20% on everyday essentials.
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