Including Walmart, Gymshark, and Tesco: RTIH runs you through the week's coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ‘future of retail’ systems launches and deployments from the past week, including a makeup virtual try-on experience, wearable tech at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and an AR powered loyalty service.
Walmart
Perfect Corp. has announced a collaboration with Walmart to launch a makeup virtual try-on experience via the US retail giant’s iOS app.
This will allow Walmart customers to virtually try-on products across the blush, lip colour, eye shadow, and bronzer categories and discover their perfect shade.
“As a destination for beauty, we’re committed to identifying new and emerging opportunities to inspire our customers and create more personalised, seamless, customer centric shopping experiences. That’s why I’m so excited that Walmart is launching Beauty Virtual Try-On, to offer customers a more engaging and convenient try-on experience on the Walmart app,” says Creighton Kiper, Vice President of Beauty at Walmart U.S.
The offering features Perfect Corp.’s Face AI solution, which is powered by AI deep learning technology to create hyper-realistic AR powered makeup filters for customers to try-on digitally.
It will allow shoppers to virtually try-on more than 1,400 products from Walmart Beauty’s brand assortment including Almay, Black Radiance, CoverGirl, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Maybelline, NYX Professional Makeup, Revlon, Rimmel, Neutrogena, wet n wild, and The Lip Bar.
Klarna
Gymshark
Gymshark is harnessing Google Cloud’s data analytics and AI tools to boost customer experiences during November’s retail sales event and beyond, including improving the breadth, relevance, and availability of its product offering.
It will use Vertex AI, in particular, to create new assistants that will guide consumers through the product selection process and improve the Gymshark training app experience.
And it will also tap Google Cloud’s BigQuery to replace the central repository of all data, as well as Looker, a unified business intelligence platform, as its visualisation and reporting tool.
Mercadona
Mercadona, a grocery retailer in Spain and Portugal, has partnered with Cimcorp to implement an automated intralogistics system at its distribution centre in San Isidro, Spain.
Cimcorp’s robots have helped it to achieve record lead times in its supply chain, thereby increasing shelf life for its products and ensuring freshness for its customers.
As well as enabling the delivery of fresh produce from field to store within 24 hours, the warehouse automation secures Mercadona the benefits of less waste and a safer workplace.
With robots taking care of the heavy lifting and repetitive tasks, staff enjoy work roles that are less tiring and more productive, factors that typically aid retention rates. Automation also ensures order accuracy, reduced costs and maximum throughput.
DIGISEQ
DIGISEQ has announced details of its partnership with Unlimit that enabled it to provide contactless prepaid key fobs and access control to people at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The latter’s wearable tech gave 1,000 selected staff and VIP guests of partners Capgemini, Jaguar Land Rover, and Ashari Beer more choice in how they pay, and also incorporated a balance check function.
The Rugby World Cup partnership follows its work at the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final in Turkey and the 2023 Roland Garris tennis tournament in France.
At both events, it teamed up with Mastercard to produce branded contactless key fobs with pre-loaded funds to be spent on-site, whilst providing guests with access control in the venue.
Nisa
Nisa is set to extend the roll-out of the Jisp Scan & Save loyalty service to all Nisa retailers.
This utilises AR voucher technology to bring discounts on branded products, with the aim of driving increased loyalty and sales for retailers and helping brands gain incremental sales and volume.
Retailers receive weekly payments based on in-store redemptions, as well as 6p back on every Scan & Save product purchased.
Following a trial, where over 200 Nisa retailers signed up to the scheme, an average of 3,500 voucher redemptions per store were recorded over a 12-month period, increasing in-store sales on average by more than 20%.
Ayaz Alam, Commerical Director at Nisa, says: “It’s been really positive to see how the trial has performed and to see our retailers benefitting from a compelling value and loyalty proposition.”
“At a time when value has never been more important to shoppers, we’re delighted to be able to scale our relationship with Jisp and to work together to enhance our offer for suppliers and retailers.”
Tesco
Tesco Media and Insight Platform, powered by dunnhumby, has unveiled a range of new onsite and in-store media channels.
At an Upfront event in London, updates were announced including Scan as You Shop media, new in-store digital screens and new onsite digital performance ads.
“Tesco are leading the way in retail media, giving brands and agencies the power to truly shape what Britain buys, with Tesco Media now standing shoulder to shoulder with the established media houses,” says Nick Ashley, MD, Tesco Media & Insight Platform.
“This scale, combined with our advanced closed-loop measurement and cutting-edge data science, allows brands partnering with Tesco Media to connect with shoppers like never before.”
Charlotte Hornets
MeetKai and the Charlotte Hornets have announced the launch of the Hornets Virtual Fan Shop, pitched as the first virtual team store in the NBA.
Using MeetKai’s AI powered digital twin technology, this is inspired by the bricks and mortar Hornets Fan Shop at Spectrum Center located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Accessible through a user’s mobile device or web browser, fans can enter the virtual store to view and purchase a variety of Hornets merchandise, including jerseys, T-shirts, hats and other collectibles.
Purchases will be delivered to users’ homes by the latter’s e-commerce partner, Fanatics.
“We are honoured to power the NBA’s first immersive shopping experience, allowing fans to engage with their favourite team and shop for gear in a space designed to make them feel like they’re there in person on game day," says James Kaplan, Co-Founder and CEO of MeetKai.
"We are proud to partner with the Charlotte Hornets to provide their fans with interactive experiences that connect them closer to their team."
LiSA, Coresight Research, Sook and LVS
Social and live commerce specialist, LiSA, together with its partners Coresight Research, Sook and LVS, has launched an event series The Commerce Social Club, with the first one taking place last week in central London.
By bringing together retailers like Marks & Spencer, technology innovators, agency partners and e-commerce thought leaders, the aim is to facilitate exchange and learning in a hands-on (and fun) way. The event was also streamed online.
Sophie Frères, CEO at LiSA, says: “We find that many e-commerce marketing leaders are shifting budgets from classic digital marketing and content production toward experience initiatives which really drive instant sales and keep customers coming back for more.”
“Running their own social commerce activities is the perfect way to achieve that, but many brands are not even aware of the easy options available to do so. This event aims at helping them see how easy it is to get started and see results from day one.”
First Class Vending, Mars Wrigley, Aramark, Zippin
First Class Vending, in collaboration with Mars Wrigley and Aramark, has opened an unattended Frictionless Market at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).
Powered by Zippin's platform, this lets customers grab items, and exit, eliminating the need for traditional checkouts.
"We are excited to introduce the Frictionless Market to the UNLV community," says Matthew Marsh, CEO at First Class Vending.
"This innovative concept aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing cutting-edge vending solutions that enhance convenience and efficiency. With Zippin's advanced technology and Mars Wrigley's support, we are confident that this market will exceed expectations and become a hub of convenience for the UNLV campus."
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping has teamed up with online livestream home shopping platform, TalkShopLive, to introduce its first ever GH Live Shopping Week, where people can score exclusive deals on gift worthy products from celebs and influencers.
From 9th October through to 14th October, you can tune in every day to the experience on goodhousekeeping.com.
Things will kick off with Dolly Parton and the chance to nab a copy of her very first rock album, Rockstar, and her upcoming book, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones.
Elsewhere in the schedule, Good Housekeeping will also be hosting an exclusive reveal of select products from Paris Hilton’s new cookware line with Walmart.
Full lineup as follows:
Dolly Parton: 9th October at 7:00 p.m. EST
Jessie James Decker: 10th October at 5:00 p.m. EST
Kevin Hart: 11th October at 1:00 p.m. EST
Paris Hilton: 11th October at 7:30 p.m. EST
Peta Murgatroyd: 12th October at 5 p.m. EST
Landyn Hutchinson: 13th October at 5 p.m. EST
Dr. Evan Antin: 14th October at 7 p.m. EST
Jada Pinkett Smith: 14th October at 2 p.m. EST
Walmart (again)
Walmart has shared a preview of some of the ways it is exploring emerging tech to boost the online shopping experience, from generative AI powered search to hands free voice shopping and virtual commerce.
In a blog post, Jon Alferness, Chief Product Officer, Walmart U.S., Srini Venkatesan, Executive Vice President, Walmart U.S. Omni Platforms and Tech, Dominique Essig, Vice President, Conversational Commerce & Replenishment, and Thomas Kang, VP and General Manager, Metaverse Commerce, Store No8, write: “We believe that generative AI (GenAI) can help our customers spend more time doing the things they enjoy and less time scrolling, tapping, and searching.”
“That’s why we’re experimenting with a variety of GenAI powered experiences that have the potential to elevate our relationship with customers from a shopping destination to a partner in accomplishing broader missions.”
Amazon
A Seattle Amazon Fresh location has received a Zero Carbon Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), becoming the world’s first grocery store, and Amazon’s first building, to do so.
ILFI awarded this in September, and is currently evaluating three Los Angeles area Amazon Go locations, an Amazon Same-Day site in Sacramento, and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle
The 35,000-square-foot store opened in 2022 on Aurora Avenue in North Seattle, with sustainability features including a natural refrigerant-based refrigeration system, all electric kitchen and hot water heating systems, electric vehicle charging for customers, and low carbon concrete floors.
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