Starring Tesco, Shopify, and Getir: Check out September’s most clicked RTIH retail technology articles
These are the RTIH retail systems articles that caught your fancy during September, including Asda, Attensi, Pixevia, IKI, eBay UK, Aldi UK, The Very Group, Kyndryl, and Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.
Calling all retailers and tech suppliers: the entry deadline for 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards is fast approaching
There are just a few 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.
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.
“We cannot go on like this”: Tesco makes big security measures investment as abuse of staff surges
Tesco has rolled out body worn cameras for frontline employees following a spike in verbal and physical attacks.
This is part of a multi-million pound investment over the last four years on security measures such as door access systems, protection screens and digital radios.
The grocery giant has seen physical assaults increase by a third since last year.
This mirrors research by British Retail Consortium (BRC) which found abuse against retail staff had almost doubled compared to pre-Covid levels.
In an article published in The Daily Mail, Tesco Chief Executive Ken Murphy said: “Money spent on making sure people are safe at work is always well spent, but it should not have to be like this. Crime is a scourge on society, and an insult to shoppers and retail workers. It is time we put an end to it.”
Pixevia works with REWE Group owned IKI to launch fifth autonomous store in Vilnius, Lithuania
Pixevia has partnered with IKI, a member of REWE Group, to launch a fifth autonomous store in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The IKI GO store is located next to the Green Bridge public transport stop. It is the seventh location overall powered by Pixevia technology.
Contained in a small format pavilion, it operates without staff for approximately 95% of its opening hours, only requiring occasional restocking.
Shoppers can choose from over 200 items – from hot coffee beverages and chilled ready-to-eat meals to ice creams, snacks, drinks, and essential non-food items.
The store features Pixevia’s proprietary real-time checkout technology, which allows customers to enter by tapping a payment card.
People take what items they want from the shelves while cameras and shelf sensors compile a virtual shopping basket. They then tap the same payment card to exit the store, and receive a real-time receipt which can be printed upon leaving.
Asda works with Attensi as it goes live with gamified checkout system learning at Goldthorpe store
Asda is testing out gamified learning for those employees getting to grips with its new checkout system.
This has been taking place at the grocery giant’s Goldthorpe store in Rotherham, in partnership with Attensi.
In a LinkedIn post, Bruce Gibb, Learning Design Manager at Asda, said: “Gamified learning in Asda is live! Delighted to have landed new checkout training in line with our new checkout system in the pilot store this weekend.”
He added: “This has been a project I have been lead on since taking my Learning Design role on and it’s fantastic to see it come to life.”
“The reaction from the Goldthorpe store leadership and colleagues has been fantastic, they transitioned from the games to the live environment effortlessly and the competitive nature of the solution engaged a desire to practice and repeat, driving confidence and capability.”
“A massive thank you to Owen Smith (Senior Manager Learning - Transformation at Asda) for his leadership, support and guidance while I’ve worked on this.”
eBay UK puts sneakerhead knowledge to test with The Authenticity Lab launch at King’s Cross Station
eBay UK has launched The Authenticity Lab, pitched as a first of its kind multi-sensory experience in London that puts sneakerheads' knowledge to the test.
Curated by Niko B, FD From The Future and Magdi, eBay says that it is pulling back the curtains behind its Authenticity Guarantee programme.
Through sound, touch, taste, sight and smell and the exclusive sixth “Sneaker Sense'', the pop-up challenged people on their sneaker knowledge and gave them a chance to get their hands on the most coveted pairs including Union Jordan 4s and New Balance JJJounds.
Launching outside King’s Cross Station, people could visit The Lab on Friday 22nd and Saturday 26th, between the hours of 9am - 5pm and 10 am - 6pm, respectively. It also travelled to Sneakerness London for 48 hours the following weekend, 30th September - 1st October.
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.
The Very Group extends Kyndryl tie up as online retailer focuses on retail technology transformation
The Very Group has been working with Kyndryl to migrate applications to the public cloud. And the online retailer is now extending the agreement and moving over more applications.
Kyndryl will combine The Very Group’s core service management toolset with cloud native tooling and the implementation of Kyndryl Bridge and AIOps, enabling greater links between global teams.
It says that this process will “build an optimised, integrated service that is simple, flexible, automated, and delivered with velocity with improved service observability”.
Shopify gets physical as it launches PoS hardware for bricks and mortar retailers in UK and Ireland
E-commerce big hitter Shopify is launching PoS Go in the UK and Ireland.
Pitched as an all in one PoS mobile selling device, this builds on the firm’s Shopify PoS offering.
Deann Evans, Managing Director, EMEA at Shopify, comments: “Commerce is happening all around us - online, offline, and everywhere in between - so it's vital to continue powering growth in all areas. The most innovative brands in the world, like Gymshark, Huel and Ooni, build their businesses on Shopify.”
“We’re choosing to launch PoS Go in the UK to help all our merchants, big or small, meet consumers wherever they are and however they want to shop - from counter to kerb.”
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.
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.
To enter the store, fans use their credit or debit card at the entry gate. Just Walk Out technology associates the shopper with their payment instrument, and detects the items taken from or returned to store shelves.
When guests have completed their visit, they leave and the payment instrument will be charged for the items they took with them. Shortly after exiting, customers will be able to access their receipt online.
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