Starring Aldi, Amazon, and Getir: check out last week’s most read RTIH retail technology articles
These are the articles on this here website that caught your fancy last week, including Uber Eats, eBay UK, FreedomPay, shopreme, Rovertown, and the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards.
Getir and Uber Eats shake hands on pan-European rapid grocery delivery partnership
Turkish rapid grocery delivery firm, Getir, and Uber have announced a new partnership that will enable customers in several European countries to use the Uber Eats app to order from Getir’s product offering.
This will go live in UK stores today, and across other European countries in the coming weeks, providing Uber Eats users with access to over 2,000 products, with deliveries expected to be made in minutes.
As part of the partnership, Uber Eats customers will also have the option to shop from Gorillas stores in the near future.
The roll-out of Getir stores onto the Uber Eats app will be completed in a few weeks from now, when it is claimed millions of users across Europe will be able to have groceries delivered on-demand via the tie up.
Orders will be fulfilled by Getir couriers.
Time is running out to enter the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards: deadline for submissions Friday, 27th October
There are just over four weeks left to submit your entries for the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards, which takes place on Wednesday, 29th November at the Barbican Arts Centre in central London.
The event, sponsored by PMC, CADS, 3D Cloud by Marxent, and Goodays, celebrates global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Spread over 19 different categories, submissions are judged on the extent of innovation and transformation demonstrated, as well as the sustainability of the results.
Previous year’s winners have included B&Q, Pets at Home, Walmart, Sook, AiFi, Compass Group, Obsess, and Ribble Cycles.
Deadline for 2023 submissions is Friday, 27th October.
The awards culminate in a fantastic ceremony, complete with a drinks reception and Christmas themed three-course meal at the Barbican Arts Centre on Wednesday 29th November.
A key event highlight is an exclusive pre-awards roundtable discussion, enabling retailers, tech suppliers and advisors to come together and talk about current retail challenges and opportunities.
Key dates
Friday, 27th October: Award entry deadline
Tuesday, 31st October: 2023 shortlist revealed
6th-10th November: Judging days
Wednesday, 29th November: The 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony
Categories, along with entry forms, can be found here.
Amazon Just Walk Out technology expands to Canada, building on US, UK and Australian roll-outs
Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology has landed in Canada. It will first become available at two Canadian arenas - Scotiabank Saddledome, home of the NHL’s Calgary Flames on 29th September, and Scotiabank Arena, home of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors on 10th October.
More locations will roll out the technology in the coming months. Canada joins the US, UK, and Australia as nations offering checkout-free shopping experiences for consumers.
It will be available at Market 213 in Scotiabank Saddledome and at Grains and Greens (100 Level) and Molson Market (300 Level) locations in Scotiabank Arena.
eBay UK launches Circular Fashion Innovator’s Fund for second year with British Fashion Council
Following the launch of the Circular Fashion Fund in 2022, eBay UK has announced its £100,000 initiative will return for a second year, in partnership with The British Fashion Council.
Offering up to six £25,000 grants to small businesses, this exists to invest in and bring new technology and services to the circular economy, with a particular focus on innovation around customer experience, circular inventory and services and social commerce.
Environmental charity, Hubbub will also support in an advisory role, drawing on its experience in delivering high profile grant funds.
Applications are open from now until Friday 20th October 2023, and innovative tech startups and small businesses can apply via a form on eBay’s website here.
The judging criteria is focused on four key assessment areas; innovation, circularity, scalability and sustainability. A shortlist of ten businesses will be invited to pitch to a panel of fashion and sustainability industry experts and organisations.
Alongside the financial support, finalists will receive a six-week mentoring programme, industry networking opportunities and a platform to showcase their innovative circular fashion solutions to a wider audience.
FreedomPay and Amazon collaborate on Amazon One palm powered in-store checkout experiences
Amazon’s Amazon One service is now integrated with FinTech firm FreedomPay’s commerce technology platform.
Amazon One is a payment system based on biometrics that works by reading users' palm print. It is used by the likes of Whole Foods Market and Amazon Go, as well as third-party retailers who have purchased the technology from Amazon
“Our technology empowers businesses around the world to provide a robust, frictionless and personalised purchasing experience across online and in-store channels,” says Chris Kronenthal, President at FreedomPay.
“That’s why we’re excited to announce that Amazon One, the fast, convenient, and contactless identity service that uses your palm to enter, identify, and pay, is now integrated with our commerce technology platform.”
“Together, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and FreedomPay’s technologies enable merchants to offer a seamless checkout process and a faster way to pay. Shoppers will be able to use their palm to pay with FreedomPay using Amazon One.”
Aldi Nord taps shopreme technology as it tests out self-checkout solutions in Dutch stores
shopreme is working with Aldi Nord on a project across several stores in the Netherlands that involves scan and go, self-checkout kiosks and exit terminals.
The initiative marks the first instance of Aldi Nord testing self-checkout solutions in its stores.
It includes integrating the shopreme SDK into the Aldi customer app. Customers can now use the app to scan products and make payments using such methods as iDEAL, debit cards, credit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay.
This process culminates with issuing a digital receipt within the app, enabling customers to leave the store by scanning an exit code at the shopreme vector terminal which opens the checkout gate.
An alternative options sees customers scan their products at the shopreme matrix self-checkout kiosk. This dispenses an exit code receipt that opens the vector exit terminal to leave the store after payment.
Rovertown debuts Integration Store for next-generation convenience retailer mobile apps
Rovertown has launched Integration Store, the latest evolution of its mobile app platform for convenience stores.
As the Rovertown platform is fully agnostic, retailers can now browse and select from dozens of native features and third-party integrations powered by leading technology vendors.
“We will look back and see this as a major turning point for convenience store mobile apps,” says Mike Philip, CEO and Co-founder at Rovertown.
“Platforms represent the future of technology. From our inception, we've held the belief that retailers shouldn't be confined to inflexible, pre-built apps with limited functionality, nor should they be burdened by expensive custom solutions.”
“Our vision is a world where retailers freely choose their technology partners and shape digital engagement according to their unique needs.”
Aldi UK checkout-free store at centre of cash row as Piers Corbyn pays for strawberries with coins
In early 2022, discount retailer Aldi UK launched its first autonomous store.
Situated on Greenwich High Street in London, it enables customers to complete their shop without scanning a single product, or having to go through a checkout.
They can download the Aldi Shop&Go app, which will allow them to enter the store, pick up their items, and then walk out when they have completed their shop.
Once a customer leaves, they will then be automatically charged via their selected payment method and a receipt will appear in the app.
The system, provided by AiFi, uses specially positioned cameras.
Those people wishing to buy alcohol, or other Challenge 25 products, are able to use facial age estimation technology, provided by Yoti, to authorise their purchase.
Giles Hurley, CEO at Aldi UK and Ireland, said at the time of the opening: “Today is the culmination of months of work, not least from the team here in Greenwich and I’m looking forward to seeing how customers react to our trial.”
“This store utilises the very latest in retail technology offering Aldi’s award winning products and unbeatable prices to customers in a new and innovative way. The team are really excited about seeing customers come in and experience Aldi Shop&Go.”
Fast forward to the present day and the store has been targeted by Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and also a climate change denier, anti-vaccine activist, and conspiracy theorist.
In a video posted on social media, Corbyn can be seen holding a box of strawberries and putting down cash on a help table.
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