Including In The Style and Mercadona: RTIH presents last week’s biggest retail technology plays at a glance
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Walmart, Perfect Corp., Unilever, Google Cloud, Rouses, CADS, Nisa, Jisp, Snappy Group and Centra.
Snappy Group and Centra
Snappy Group, the technology business behind grocery and convenience store delivery app, Snappy Shopper, has announced a new partnership with Irish convenience grocery retailer, Centra.
Centra is part of Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland, the retail franchise division of Musgrave Group, one of Ireland's largest grocery and food distributors.
The tie up will see Snappy Group develop and power the new, home delivery app, Centra Go, which, alongside traditional grocery, will enable hot food to go.
In The Style
Asian e-commerce Software-as-a-Service and solution provider, SHOPLINE, has been appointed to launch In The Style's new online store.
It worked with eBusiness Guru and Patchworks on the project.
Jas Singh, CEO at Baaj Capital, which acquired In The Style earlier this year for £1.2 million, says: “We are thrilled to announce the appointment of SHOPLINE for our modern commerce strategy.”
“Their integrated approach and profound expertise in the retail industry, coupled with a straightforward problem solving approach, will propel us into the next phase of our growth strategy.”
He adds: “During their time with the In The Style team, they demonstrated a real commitment to a customer centric approach working closely with the team to deliver excellent and timely results, they will extend their support across our entire portfolio, enabling us to harness the potential of all our brands and transform into a significant marketplace.”
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.
US Foods CHEF’STORE
RELEX Solutions has been selected by US Foods CHEF’STORE, a warehouse format retailer for wholesale food and restaurant supplies, to unify its forecast and replenishment, space planning, and promotion planning and optimisation solutions.
It will support CHEF’STORE’s more than 85 locations throughout the United States, with the aim of allowing the chain to achieve greater supply chain efficiency and improved customer experience through the use of AI driven, machine learning technology.
It will leverage RELEX to forecast demand and optimise replenishment, automate planograms to improve store layouts, and evaluate and optimise promotions.
Unilever
Google Cloud and Unilever have partnered to launch a new app for employees, My Unilever.
The aim here is to connect Unilever’s factory-based colleagues across the globe, enabling them to tap into Unilever’s digital resources from any location or device.
Built on Google Cloud, and delivered in partnership with Accenture, the app also enables one click entry to Google Workspace, which includes the communication and collaboration apps such as Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Drive, Chat, and Meet.
It also utilises Appsheet, Google’s no-code platform, as the main end-user interface for the My Unilever application.
The app will also give users access to a variety of third-party tools including learning and payroll, some of which were previously only accessible through paper-based methods or via time-consuming in-factory processes.
Leon’s Furniture
SES-imagotag is expanding its partnership with Canadian retailer Leon’s Furniture (LFL Group).
The roll-out agreement between the two companies will see the addition of 130 stores to existing locations, while also expanding to new store categories as SES-imagotag further extends its footprint in new verticals and in North America.
LFL Group selected the VUSION IoT Cloud platform and digital tags to digitise its Leon’s and The Brick division stores under a multi-year framework agreement spanning, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
This agreement covers the deployment of VUSION across all of its 202 corporate stores, and potentially over 100 other additional LFL Group franchisees.
The retailer has been gradually equipping its appliances, consumer electronics, and bedding sections with VUSION cloud connected ESLs and solutions, and is now extending the use of these tools to the largest portion of its stores - the furniture sections - with extensive use of large format digital labels.
Southern Co-op and Scotmid
Southern Co-op and Scottish Midland Co-operative (Scotmid) have selected SymphonyAI Retail CPG assortment and space planning solutions for implementation across the food business in the companies’ nearly 500 managed and franchise convenience stores in various regions of the UK.
The two businesses, which are both members of Federal Retail Trade and Services (FRTS), a central co-op food buying group, are looking to tailor the assortments, shelves, and floor spaces at both the store and category levels for data driven alignment with the evolving needs of each store’s local customers.
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.
Rouses
Retail space planning specialist CADS has helped US grocery retailer Rouses Market improve its efficiency, communication and profitability with StoreSpace software.
Before adopting StoreSpace, family owned Rouses used Excel spreadsheets and email threads for macro space planning, planogram management and inventory tracking.
It is now benefitting from a more streamlined space planning process with access to vital performance insights, an intuitive planning environment and more.
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."
American Express and Booker Group
American Express has stepped up its partnership with Booker Group, meaning thousands more independent retailers across the UK will be able to accept its in-store card payments under a new agreement.
The tie up covers eligible Premier, Londis, Budgens and Family Shopper retailers.
American Express will work with Booker Group to supply a range of marketing and point of purchase materials to its store owners, along with details of how they can start accepting American Express cards.
Managing Director, Booker Group – Retail, Colm Johnson, says: “We are delighted that our Symbol brand retailers can benefit from a new agreement.”
“This deal will drive footfall to stores and help with overall profitability. Being able to pay with Amex gives shoppers another reason to choose our Symbol stores and this has been warmly received by our retailers.”
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