Run it back: RTIH pulls together the retail technology news you might have missed last week
Failed to keep up with the breaking retail technology news last week? Then have no fear as RTIH has you covered. Here are the major stories that you need to know about. Includes DPD, Sensei, Amazon Fresh UK, 3D Cloud by Marxent, TalkShopLive, eBay, FIGS, Freedompay, Pennies, and Zippin.
Autonomous store tech firm Sensei enters Italy with new Tuday Prendi & Go store in Verona
Portuguese startup Sensei has announced its entry into Italy with the opening of the country’s first autonomous supermarket.
Located in Verona, the Tuday Prendi & Vai location was inaugurated on Wednesday 8th November, offering a shopping experience with no queues, or self-scanning or checkout processes.
Sensei, whose autonomous stores can also be found in Europe and South America, has partnered with the DAO cooperative, which has been operating in the retail sector for over 60 years and is present in the provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Vicenza, and Verona, where it manages the Conad brand.
Tuday Prendi & Go (in English, Grab & Go) in Verona allows customers to enter without any barriers, pick up the products they want, and leave without the need to go to a checkout counter and/or wait in line to pay.
It also marks the debut of technological developments made by Sensei to enhance the user experience.
In addition to eliminating barriers to entry into the store, it offers people the opportunity to review their shopping cart, updated in real-time, before leaving the store. At the payment terminal, after accessing their cart, customers can choose from different payment methods and pay by card or using the Tuday - Prendi & Vai app.
New DPD London Docklands eco-sortation centre enables clean, all electric online deliveries
Parcel delivery company DPD has officially opened a new £40 million eco-regional sortation centre in Bromley-By-Bow that will enable the firm to deliver up to 80,000 ‘green' parcels into London each day.
The facility, which is the size of 8.5 football pitches, will create 650 new jobs when fully operational early in the new year and will mean that DPD's delivery service within London's north and south circular area will be all electric.
It is a hybrid eco-sortation and distribution facility. In addition to the parcel delivery operation, which will be DPD's greenest in the UK, the 430 metre long conveyor system will automatically sort all intra-London parcels for next-day delivery on-site, instead of them being trunked to the Midlands and back for sorting, as is currently the case.
As part of being a diesel free operation, the site has solar panels on the parking canopy to help charge the 500 electric delivery vans and a 40,000 litre HVO tank to enable the fleet of LGVs and 7.5T trucks to fill-up with the renewable biofuel.
The plan also includes the installation of solar panels on the main roof in the new year, which could generate up to 1 million kwh per annum to help power the entire building.
Docklands will also see DPD achieve its pledge to deliver to 30 of the largest towns and cities in the UK with zero and low emission final mile delivery vehicles.
Herman Miller and Design Within Reach tap 3D Cloud by Marxent tech to bring 3D product visualisation to retail sites
Herman Miller and Design Within Reach (DWR) have worked with 3D Cloud by Marxent on the launch of 3D product configurators for several products on their North American retail websites.
After a launch in the contract space, Marxent’s 3D product configurators have been rolled out on store.hermanmiller.com and DWR.com for top performance seating products.
Configurators are available for the following products with more on the way: Aeron Chair, Aeron Gaming Chair, Cosm Chair, Embody Chair, Embody Gaming Chair, Lino Chair, Mirra 2 Chair, Sayl Chair, Sayl Gaming Chair, Setu Chair, and Verus Chair.
And then there were 20: Amazon Fresh UK convenience store set to open at Notting Hill Gate in London
Amazon UK will open a Just Walk Out technology powered Amazon Fresh store in Notting Hill Gate on 29th November.
This will be its 20th in the UK market and 19th in London, with the non-London location situated in Sevenoaks, Kent.
It will include an Amazon collect and returns counter and follows the launch of new stores in Liverpool Street earlier this year and Moorgate in August.
In an interview with RTIH, Amazon Fresh UK Director Matt Birch said it would have the latest in Amazon Fresh thinking both in terms of the range and also its payment options. Tackling the issue of payments for Amazon Fresh has been a necessary focus with many blaming the slower than expected store roll-out on the limited ways in which customers pay.
The original target had been a portfolio of more than 200 stores by the end of 2025. Previously the ability to pay had been restricted to payment by QR code. That has now changed.
“We’ve been thinking very much about the way customers can pay in our stores. Instead of just paying with the QR code, which a load of our customers love, you can also just tap a credit card to pay and that’s in response to listening to customers and how they want to experience our stores,” said Birch.
Disrupting the e-commerce market: OnBuy boss Cas Paton talks first ever profitable month and plans for 2024
UK-based online marketplace, OnBuy, had its first ever profitable month in October, and is forecasting a profitable quarter.
In a LinkedIn post, Cas Paton, OnBuy Founder and CEO, who did not reveal specific numbers, said: “We've closed a strategic investment from a NASDAQ listed global tech player. Now, we're inviting our existing shareholders to invest in the next part of the journey.”
He aded that his company was exploring the opportunity of opening a small round for external investors, sellers, customers to partake through crowdfunding.
Freedompay announces addition of micro-donation charity Pennies to its technology stack
FinTech firm Freedompay has announced a strategic partnership with Pennies, the micro-donation charity.
This will see it integrate Pennies into its technology stack.
Alison Hutchinson, CEO at Pennies, says: “We’re delighted to be partnering with FreedomPay, whose innovation, growth and purpose-led mission has the potential to unlock millions more micro-donation opportunities.”
“FreedomPay’s values align with our own commitment to making giving simple, every day – ensuring customers have affordable ways to donate and enabling brands to generate real social impact.”
“We look forward to working with FreedomPay and their merchants, using tech for social good and raising millions for charity.”
Electronics retailer Maplin deploys new TrueLayer payments app as it goes live in Shopify App Store
FinTech firm, TrueLayer, reports that its new payments app is now live in the Shopify App Store, allowing UK and EU merchants to add open banking payments to their checkout.
Electronics retailer Maplin has gone live with the app, with further partners to be announced soon.
The move enables Shopify merchants to add instant bank payments to their website in a matter of hours.
As a result, TrueLayer says they can quickly benefit from a faster, more secure payment option at a fraction of the cost of cards or PayPal.
TrueLayer’s Open Banking payments are digitally native and require no manual data entry. Customers’ details auto-populate directly from their bank account. Payments leverage biometric authentication to verify customers’ identity.
Irish startup GreyScout secures €3.5 million investment for online brand protection platform
GreyScout, a SaaS platform for online brand protection, has announced a €3.5 million seed investment, bringing the total raised to €4.5 million.
The round was jointly led by Act VC and Tribal, with participation from Furthr VC, Enterprise Ireland, and HBAN.
Founded in 2020 by John Killian and Chris McCauley, GreyScout is designed to programmatically monitor e-commerce channels, identifying potential intellectual property infringements and grey market activity, with the company catching the attention of the likes of Nestle, Bayer, Netgear, Mayborn, and Dorel Maxi-Cosi.
TalkShopLive and Bass Pro Shops power country music legend Garth Brooks live shopping event
TalkShopLive and Bass Pro Shops have streamed Inside Studio G as a live shopping event with American country singer and songwriter Garth Brooks.
The livestream event took place on 6th November at 7 p.m. ET during Brooks’ weekly series and featured Bass Pro Shops Founder Johnny Morris in conversation with Brooks, discussing his new album, Time Traveler, available only in The Limited Series boxed set available at Bass Pro Shops across North America and globally through this event.
German Doner Kebab launches delivery service for its app with Uber Direct following trial period
German Doner Kebab (GDK) is now offering customers delivery from its restaurants across the UK, through its own app, in partnership with Uber Direct, Uber’s white label delivery product.
Customers can now download the German Doner Kebab app, place an order for delivery from their local restaurant, and have the order delivered by couriers who use the Uber Eats app to earn.
The GDK app uses Uber’s technology to provide customers with real-time tracking and 24/7 customer support. The launch, which covers German Doner Kebab’s over 130 UK wide restaurants, follows a trial period at selected sites earlier in the year.
Fashion retailer MATCHES now offering Clearpay buy now pay later solution at online checkout
Buy now pay later specialist, Clearpay, has announced a partnership with London-based luxury clothing brand MATCHES.
The retailer now offers online customers an interest free, pay in four payment option.
MATCHES CEO, Nick Beighton, says: “We are pleased to pioneer customer innovation here at MATCHES and by working with Clearpay, we are able to offer flexibility to our customers by giving them autonomy on their payment choices.”
“We are delighted to offer this option across our platforms and hope this will empower the customer to make the payment decision best suited to their lifestyle.”
Flying Tiger Copenhagen deploys MishiPay solutions across 56 UK stores, preps mPoS roll-out
Flying Tiger Copenhagen has announced the deployment of MishiPay's suite of transaction solutions across 56 UK stores.
Since the end of September, the chain has been operating exclusively on MishiPay for all transactions.
Already a user of MishiPay's Scan & Go solution, Flying Tiger Copenhagen has expanded its partnership to include cash desk and self-checkout kiosks. It has further plans to introduce the company’s mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) solution to its roster.
The Bicester Collection taps Emperia technology for new multi-destination virtual village experience
The Bicester Collection, a family of 11 luxury shopping destinations in Europe and China, is introducing a new virtual retail experience, bringing its village environment to audiences worldwide, and showcasing its curation of the world’s leading luxury fashion and lifestyle brands backed up by five-star hospitality and services.
This new offering is powered by Emperia.
Designed to represent each of the villages’ physical environments, the experience brings together Bicester Village (UK), La Roca Village (Spain), La Vallée Village (France) and Fidenza Village (Italy).
Guests around the world can wander and navigate around each virtual village and prepare for an upcoming in-person visit.
DFS scores a social first as it harnesses Shuffles and Pinterest for What’s Your Thing? brand campaign
Pinterest has announced a global first creative campaign with retailer DFS and Shuffles.
Shuffles, a standalone app by Pinterest, which made its debutlast year, provides a way to create collages and digital art, allowing users to express ideas and unleash creativity on their phones.
It enables users to cut, overlap and add elements and animations to images from their camera roll or from Pinterest Pins to visualise their inspiration all in one place.
Now furniture retailer DFS is the first brand globally to harness both Shuffles and Pinterest in a partnership to support its latest brand campaign What's Your Thing?.
Over the next four weeks, DFS is inviting home enthusiasts to express their interiors ‘thing’ in Shuffles using DFS sofas and beds for a chance to win the content of their shuffle by publishing their creation on Shuffles, Pinterest and Instagram using the hashtag #MyDFSThing.
The campaign is running on channels including Pinterest. It will be encouraging Pinterest users to head to Shuffles and take part in the competition.
Towson University partners with Zippin and Atrium for launch of 24/7 checkout-free convenience store
Towson University has announced the opening of Tiger Express, a checkout-free store located in West Village Commons made possible through a partnership between Zippin and Atrium.
Open 24/7, this stocks a variety of essentials, including snacks, drinks, packaged meals and personal care products.
“The convenience offered by Tiger Express makes it easier for our students to purchase what they need, when they need it,” says Vernon Hurte, Vice President of Student Affairs. “The unique shopping experience will cut down on long lines and wait times that students typically faced.”
US retailer Sprouts Farmers Market deploys Instacart FoodStorm order management system
Sprouts Farmers Market, a specialty retailer of fresh, natural, and organic food in the United States, and Instacart have announced a new partnership to launch FoodStorm, the latter’s order management system (OMS), across all of Sprouts’ 400+ locations.
Sprouts is now accepting pre-orders for the holiday season through its website, app and in-store with FoodStorm’s OMS.
It is known for its online holiday catering options, and the addition of FoodStorm's technology makes it easier for team members to process orders for turkeys, meats, fully prepared meals, party platters and more.
Post Office partners with DPD to offer in-branch customers new parcel delivery option
The Post Office has teamed up with DPD as part of a plan to offer in-branch customers a wider range of parcel delivery options.
The new Buy-In-Branch parcel service will begin in selected branches in time for the peak Christmas delivery season, complementing the recent launch of Parcels Online which enables customers to compare and purchase shipping online for drop-off in Post Offices.
People will be able to walk up to a counter and choose to send their parcels with DPD.
Fashion tech company Zelig bags $15m in Series A funding for virtual try-on and styling experiences
Zelig has secured $15 million in Series A funding to support the launch of its AI powered virtual try-on and styling technology.
Hilco Global led the funding round, joined by Bezikian Zareh, which brings the company to a $100 million valuation.
It was launched by MadaLuxe Group co-founders Sandy Sholl and Adam Freede, who have privately funding Zelig’s development for three years.
JD.com JD Worldwide platform boosts authenticity verification services for imported merchandise
JD Worldwide, JD.com’s cross-border e-commerce platform, has announced the roll-out of enhanced authentication processes, named JD Smart Check, for imported goods.
The initiative focuses on three areas: expediting quality inspections for cosmetics, incorporating blockchain technology for comprehensive anti-counterfeiting solutions, and providing on-demand authenticity inspections for products shipped via direct mail.
JD Worldwide has implemented x-ray fluorescence analysis, developed in partnership with the Cosmetics Technology Center of China Inspection and Quarantine Science Institute, for rapid on-site assessment of cosmetics and personal care products at JD’s logistic centres.
'Alexa, what are my deals?': Amazon Black Friday 2023 event to start on Friday, 17th November
Amazon reports that its Black Friday event will start on Friday, 17th November, giving customers more days to shop than last year’s event.
Its Cyber Monday weekend event, meanwhile, kicks off on Saturday, 25th November, and runs through to Monday, 27th November.
New deals will drop as often as every five minutes during select periods throughout the events.
The New York Jets will take on the Miami Dolphins during the first ever Black Friday NFL game on 24th November with coverage beginning at 1:30 p.m. EST.
Viewers will have the chance to shop deals from brands like TCL and Dyson during the game, which anyone with an Amazon account will be able to stream on Prime Video.
Customers can also get personalised notifications from Alexa up to 24 hours in advance on eligible items within their wish lists, carts, or Saved for Later lists.
They can keep an eye on this throughout the season by saying, ”Alexa, what are my deals?”
They can also ask Alexa to remind them of deals once they are live, or ask Alexa to make a purchase when something is available by saying, “Alexa, buy it for me.”
eBay opens streetwear pop-up store in New York City as e-commerce giant expands authentication service
eBay has launched Canal Street Wear, a pop-up shop in New York with a selection of authenticated streetwear and sneakers from top rated eBay sellers.
This was open on 3rd and 4th November. Shoppers had access to items from such brands as NYMilan, RIF and Soled Out Jersey City. verified by eBay Authenticity Guarantee – the marketplace's authentication service that recently expanded to streetwear.
They could also bring in streetwear items from their own closets to have them authenticated on-site by eBay’s team of streetwear experts.
FIGS picks Los Angeles as it makes move into physical retail with opening of first community hub
FIGS, a direct-to-consumer healthcare apparel and lifestyle brand, reports that its first permanent physical retail space - its Community Hub - officially opened on 3rd November.
FIGS generated more than $500 million in net revenues in 2022, almost exclusively online.
By expanding into physical retail, its says that it is responding to “the overwhelming desire of its community to experience FIGS both online and in-person, as seen through the strong reaction to our retail pop-ups and other community activations”.
A key aim is to drive increased revenues across the entire platform, particularly since those who shop across multiple channels typically generate significantly more revenue than digital only customers.
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