Including Therabody, Asda, and PriceSmart: 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 Outform, Amazon, American Girl, Obsess, Crew Clothing, Retail247, Costa Coffee, Vista Technology Support, Walmart, Sook, and Liverpool ONE.
Walmart
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.”
Therabody
Wellness brand Therabody has created an interactive window experience as part of Harrods Tech Month.
The concept was designed, produced and installed by Outform. The result is an experience that passers-by can control from their phone to discover more about Therabody’s wellness universe and product range.
Its display takes up an entire window along Harrods’ Brompton Road frontage. A QR controlled interactive screen sits at its centre and a use of LED lighting ensures that it delivers a night time impact.
It showcases four hero Therabody products, including the brand’s newest entrant into the beauty tech space, its TheraFace Mask, an at home LED therapy mask that couples red and blue light with vibration therapy.
Shoppers can choose one of three “stories”, in line with Therabody’s three product categories which trigger corresponding content on the large LED screen.
As they watch the content, the relevant product categories light up in the window display - red for beauty, white for wellness, blue for performance - accompanied by a mobile landing page which links to the Harrods online store and a call to action to visit the brand concession on Harrods’ fifth floor and trial the product range.
Crew Clothing
Retail247 has announced the deployment of Archean, its stock solution, at Crew Clothing stores.
This consists of a central engine (Archean Core), and is supported by a series of transaction providing solutions.
As part of Crew Clothing’s three-year technology strategy to enable efficient omnichannel retailing, the brand needed a platform to become its single repository of stock information.
Having established a strong partnership with Retail247, it chose to build on this existing foundation and selected Archean as its stock engine in March 2022, including the module Archean Move.
This is designed to be deployed in stores, Archean Move can be the store’s single portal for stock activity.
Transactions in Archean Move can have multiple states and can also trigger activity to other solutions, meaning that Archean can seamlessly maintain the integrity of legacy solutions where required.
Sainsbury’s, Nectar360 and Clear Channel
Nectar360, which owns and operates Nectar, a UK loyalty coalition programme, as well as managing Sainsbury’s and Argos’ retail media services, has announced plans to expand its connected digital screen network to over 800 screens, in conjunction with out of home media and infrastructure company, Clear Channel, a move that also includes the launch of a new internal screen network.
The Sainsbury's Live network currently reaches millions of shoppers every week through more than 320 full motion digital screens, placed at store entrances.
It will now become the UK’s largest connected digital supermarket screen network, as Clear Channel upgrades the existing offering, expanding the external screen network to include 420 screens and launching up to 400 internal ones across stores nationwide.
Amazon
Last weekend, Amazon opened its 100th third party store powered by Just Walk Out technology.
In a LinkedIn post, Ritu Subash, Principal PM - Physical Stores Tech - Just Walk Out at Amazon, said:
“Milestones like these make the work we do worth it! On to the next 100.”
The tech can be found in airports, stadiums, schools, grocery and convenience stores around the world.
Further details here.
JUXTA
JUXTA, a technology and micro convenience company that launched in August, reports rapid take up with businesses in the EV value chain and multiple retail partners ready to adopt its offering across the USA.
The first customers to experience its inaugural product, Nomad, were Renewal 2023 festival goers in Buena Vista, Colorado, last month. The Nomad’s ability to travel and cater to high demand yet remote locations was on display as it served thousands of revellers 24-hours a day during the event.
Renewal 2023 launched a new partnership for JUXTA with Choice Market, a retailer headquartered in Denver, Colorado with outlets across the state. The first Choice Market Nomad micro-store will open in Denver, making it Colorado’s first portable, autonomous, convenience outlet.
A further retail partnership has been formed with Golden Pantry Food Stores, a group headquartered in Watkinsville, Georgia. Golden Pantry’s first Nomad store will open in Wire Park, Watkinsville, GA.
This mixed use development, which is an amalgamation of apartments, offices, restaurants, micro-brewery, and a multi-faceted events space, has been crafted from a repurposed factory.
The integration of JUXTA’s autonomous store aims to cater to the diverse footfall ranging from local residents to a plethora of daily visitors, 24-hours a day and without the need to staff the store.
American Girl
American Girl has unveiled its 2024 Girl of the Year, Lila Monetti.
As part of the launch, the brand will reveal Lila’s own room in its virtual museum experience this October through a partnership with immersive e-commerce platform Obsess. This will let people explore more of Lila’s life and personality, including her love of horseback riding and gymnastics.
“We know our fans will flip for our newest Girl of the Year, Lila Monetti, who arrives just in time for the holidays,” says Jamie Cygielman, General Manager at American Girl.
“As with all our beloved characters, Lila will inspire kids to face new challenges with purpose and positivity and find the joy and strength that comes from unexpected friendships.”
Costa Coffee
Vista Technology Support has announced a partnership with Costa Coffee.
The tech support company will apply its Continuous Service Improvement (CSI) philosophy with the aim of reducing the occurrence of system faults and outages, and to maintain maximum operational time in over 1,500 Costa Coffee stores across the UK.
When unable to predict a likely outage or interruption through CSI, the Vista Field Services Team of more than 130 engineers around the UK will be mobilised to repair and resolve any issues.
Asda
Tata Consultancy Services has announced a multi-year partnership with Asda to support its digital transformation and to implement a new organisation wide IT operating model, following its divestiture from Walmart.
This will see the grocery giant leverage TCS’ cloud, AI, and security solutions.
TCS will build a new digital core by implementing multiple cloud-based ERP platforms to streamline Asda’s supply chain forecasting, buying and merchandising processes, HR processes, warehouse management, and e-commerce processes.
Additionally, it will use its Machine First Delivery Model to automate the retailer’s IT operations, with the aim of providing a seamless experience for employees and customers, and improving operational resilience.
Domino’s Pizza and Microsoft
Domino’s Pizza and Microsoft have partnered on a project involving pizza ordering and store operations and generative AI technology and cloud computing.
The companies will leverage the Microsoft Cloud and Azure OpenAI Service to enhance the former’s ordering process through personalisation and simplification.
With Microsoft as its primary cloud provider, Domino’s has already been experimenting with data and AI capabilities in a bid to make store operations smarter, simpler and more robust.
Work on modernising its store systems has evolved into the early stages of developing a generative AI assistant powered by Azure
OpenAI Service intended to help store managers save time on daily tasks such as inventory management, ingredient ordering and staff scheduling.
With plans to streamline pizza preparation and quality control with more predictive tools, this generative AI assistant will be designed with the goal of freeing store managers to dedicate more time to team member experience and customer service.
GXO Logistics
GXO Logistics is teaming up with Blue Yonder to deploy a new end-to-end supply chain software solution to power its shared warehousing solution GXO Direct in the US.
“By leveraging Blue Yonder’s solutions, we’ll enable customers to add features and customised capabilities on an open WMS platform,” says Eduardo Pelleissone, President, Americas and Asia Pacific, GXO.
“Customers will now have an agile and cost-effective order management solution with real-time visibility of inventory and orders across all sites.”
“Customers will also have access to value-added services, such as kitting and assembly, to optimise their time and cost to serve. This strengthens our position as a shared warehousing leader as we expand GXO Direct globally.”
Aetrex
Aetrex, a specialist in foot scanning technology and orthotics and comfort footwear, has announced the launch of a new analysis segment on Foot.com called the Development Lab, providing users the ability to pull accurate, detailed measurements of any aspect of a 3D foot scan.
Foot.com is a subscription-based platform that aggregates millions of global 3D foot scans collected from Aetrex’s Albert 2 Pro and Albert 3DFit foot scanners, with the aim of helping footwear designers and developers create better fitting and functioning shoes.
PriceSmart
PriceSmart, an operator of membership warehouse clubs in Central America, the Caribbean, and Colombia, has chosen RELEX Solutions to enhance its supply chain and retail planning strategies.
PriceSmart has a complex product assortment, including ambient and fresh products, and a challenging supply chain spanning 12 countries, each with unique requirements.
The RELEX solution will be implemented across its 52 clubs throughout Central America, the Caribbean, and Colombia, aiming to reduce inefficiencies while improving their forecast accuracy, product availability, operational cost savings, and overall efficiency.
PriceSmart is undergoing a strategic transition in its back office systems and processes and will consolidate its forecasting, replenishment, and promotions planning onto the RELEX platform.
This move plays a key role in its broader digital transformation initiative to streamline operations for ambient and fresh goods, fast and slow movers, and make-to-sell and break-to-sell items.
Additionally, RELEX allows PriceSmart to leverage advanced capabilities for boosting membership renewals through targeted promotions designed to encourage increased member engagement.
McDonald's Egypt
Roboost has announced a partnership with McDonald's Egypt.
With Roboost's AI powered solution, the fast food giant says it is poised to fully automate its last mile delivery cycle, optimising operations before delivery starts, and reducing manual actions.
"We are excited to partner with McDonald's Egypt and help them continue to deliver on their famed promise of the fastest delivery in Egypt," says Mohamed Gessraha, CEO at Roboost.
"With our AI powered solution, they can fully automate their home delivery operations, optimise their routes even without digital locations, and improve their delivery times, all while offering their customers a consistently superior delivery experience.”
“We are confident that our partnership will set new standards in the delivery market across the region."
Praktiker
Pricer’s partner SIS Technology has signed an agreement with Bulgarian DIY retailer Praktiker for a full chain roll-out.
Praktiker is now equipping all its 16 large format stores with Pricer’s in-store automation and communication solution based on electronic shelf labels (ESL).
It will use this for price management, ensuring that the price is the same in stores and online and being able to change the price of goods on the shelf in a timelier manner.
Also, efficient replenishment of products on shelves is of uttermost importance, minimising the risk of misplaced products and thereby making sure that the shoppers find the products in the right place.
The solution will also support Praktiker’s effort to improve profitability through efficiency gains, for instance, by increasing the rate of picking of online orders.
A total of approximately 750,000 digital labels of various sizes of Pricer SmartTAG HD Red will be installed, with multiple pages for merchandising and inventory information.
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."
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh customers can now pay at self-checkouts in the Monument, London store, in addition to using a Just Walk Out technology powered checkout-free option.
In a LinkedIn post, Charlie Mills, Head of In-Store & Local Marketing at Amazon Fresh, said: “Customers get the choice of scanning and paying for items using the self-checkout and they can still checkout at the gates using our Just Walk Out technology.”
“The Amazon Fresh in-store shopping experience is made possible by the same types of technologies used in self-driving cars: computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning.”
“Our Just Walk Out Technology automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to the shelves, and keeps track of them in a virtual basket. Using the self-checkout adds another convenient way to shop. Pretty cool.”
The ultimate aim here is alleviating some of the friction associated with Just Walk Out technology.
Sook and Liverpool ONE
Sook, which takes vacant retail spaces and gives them a modular, digital fit-out which can be rented by the hour, is launching a new space at the Liverpool ONE shopping, residential, and leisure complex.
The 1,250 sq ft space will offer leases ranging from three days to a months and comes fitted out with digital display boards, screens and fixtures.
Sook supplies brands with a range of data analytics and digital planning tools, giving tenants information on how best to use the space and operate with optimum efficiency.
The space will be used for a variety of uses including music, artists, workshops, fitness classes, experiential brand campaigns and traditional retailers.
Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo
Fressnapf | Maxi Zoo, a European specialty retailer for pet food and accessories, is partnering with RELEX Solutions on a project involving its supply chain.
The aim here is to improve the accuracy of Fressnapf’s order proposals and forecasts at the DC level and provide it with transparent insight into the performance of its retail and wholesale operations.
Fressnapf Group operates the largest chain of pet food and accessory stores in Europe, with 1,900 stores under the Fressnapf and Maxi Zoo brands and 11 distribution centres (DCs) in 13 countries, from Germany to France and Denmark.
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