Featuring Snappy Shopper, AiFi, and Outform: RTIH’s biggest retail technology articles on LinkedIn right now
We’re big fans of LinkedIn and are busy building an amazing community of retail tech enthusiasts on the social media platform. These are the articles that are currently on their radars, including Conway Kombucha, Polytag, Outform, Tom Ford, Slerp, JD Sports, A2Z Cust2Mate, Monoprix, and the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards.
Time is running out to enter the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards: deadline for submissions Friday, 3rd November
There are now just two days 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, FreedomPay, Worldpay from FIS, CADS, 3D Cloud by Marxent, Goodays, and Vista Technology Support, 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, 3rd November.
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.
Key dates
Friday, 3rd November: Award entry deadline
Tuesday, 7th November: 2023 shortlist revealed
7th-10th November: Judging days
Wednesday, 29th November: Winners announced at the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony
Categories, along with entry forms, can be found here.
Polytag serves up on-pack QR codes with new Blighty Booch Kombucha partnership
Polytag has announced a partnership with Conway Kombucha, producers of Blighty Booch, that aims to help the drinks brand increase direct-to-consumer sales and enhance communication with customers through a QR code solution.
From October, Blighty Booch will feature Polytag’s GS1 approved QR codes on labels across its range.
These are applied as part of a standard digital printing process using SCREEN technology at Limpet Labels, Wrexham. Once scanned, the QR codes take consumers to customisable, branded landing pages, developed using a tool on the Blighty Booch dashboard.
Through said dashboard, hosted on the Polytag platform, Blighty Booch can tailor messages to different consumer groups or by range, which can be updated or amended at any time.
By scanning a tag, the brand can provide consumers with facts about the product’s myriad health benefits, information on its naturally fermented Kombucha, latest offers, recycling advice or even drive them straight to Blighty Booch’s online shop.
The partnership will also provide Blighty Booch with access to consumer insights that can be used to shape future marketing strategies.
Polytag’s platform will deliver information on consumption patterns and regional sales data, based on where every QR code is scanned and how customers interact with the brand after purchasing a product.
Halloween and Trick Or Treat take to the Texan skies with Manna drone delivery service
The initiative kicked off the European company’s first US operations, where it will be serving residents at Pecan Square by Hillwood Communities.
They will have the opportunity to order a range of food and beverages from both national and local retailers, including a wide selection of Halloween chocolates and candies.
“After over four years of operations and over 150,000 flights logged in Europe, we are excited to be touching down in the United States to offer the residents of Dallas/Fort Worth a lightning quick and sustainable home delivery service,” says Andrew Patton, Head of US for Manna Drone Delivery.
“We are taking Halloween to new heights, with a fun new way for kids to trick or treat - especially when the weather isn’t very Halloween compatible.”
A2Z Cust2Mate subsidiary bags first purchase order to deliver smart carts to Monoprix stores
A2Z Smart Technologies Corp. reports that, further to announcements of its channel partnership with IR2S intended to deploy 30,000 smart carts across retail chains in France between 2023 and 2026, A2Z Cust2mate has received a first purchase order involving Monoprix stores.
Monoprix operates a portfolio of over 700 locations and operates as part of the Casino Group, which has a global footprint spanning over 11,500 locations worldwide.
The initial phase of the partnership involves the delivery of 250 smart carts, with anticipation for deployment at 20 select Monoprix locations starting within the current quarter of 2023.
Outform works with Tom Ford on immersive Myrrhe Mystère experience at Galeries Lafayette Paris Central podium
A six metre tall immersive experience now sits at the Galeries Lafayette Paris Central podium, promoting the launch of the latest Tom Ford Private Blend addition, Myrrhe Mystère.
Interactive screens bathe the space in dreamy swirling amber and cream tones.
People can experience Myrrhe Mystère via a range of touchpoints, many of them tech led.
Digital and on-counter screens with video assets showcase the essence of the fragrance and tell the story of its amber and myrrh heritage. The installation was designed and built by Outform.
Żabka Polska taps AiFi tech as it opens first store combining traditional and autonomous shopping option
Żabka Polska has launched its first ever store that is open 24/7 and offers both a traditional and autonomous shopping option.
In a LinkedIn post, Patryk Powierża, Head of Nano Growth at Żabka Polska, said: “Today we opened the first hybrid Żabka store powered by autonomous technology (supplied by AiFi). How does it work?”
“From 6am-11pm, the store operates like a traditional store with a cashier. From 11pm-6am, it is switched to an unmanned format, which enables autonomous shopping.”
He added: “Thanks to that we can extend opening hours, be available 24/7, and deliver a great retail experience to Polish customers.”
“This opening is related to a great milestone that our company has achieved. Last Friday, we opened store 10,000 in the Żabka Polska network. Our hybrid store has a beautiful 10,002 number. The future is here.”
Slerp teams with Uber Direct to power on-demand delivery service for UK hospitality sector
Hospitality technology solutions provider, Slerp, has partnered with Uber Direct, to provide the UK’s hospitality sector with an on demand delivery service.
This integration will give businesses of all sizes that offer direct ordering and delivery, from premium hotels and quick service restaurant chains to independent bakeries, coffee shops and delis, access to the same courier network as Uber Eats across the UK.
Slerp works with more than 200 UK brands across the UK food industry, including The Dorchester, The Connaught, The Savoy, Eataly, Pasta Evangelists and Ottolenghi.
Their customers can make a purchase through the business’s own website or app and the Slerp dispatch platform will request a courier via Uber Direct. Customers can choose between ASAP or scheduled delivery times.
They can also use Uber’s real-time tracking technology and, if needed, access to 24/7 customer support services.
UK startup and 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards winner HyperFinity launches new retail media product
Decision intelligence specialist, HyperFinity, has launched a new retail media product, designed to help retailers leverage their first-party data, and maximise the impact of advertising.
The UK-based company’s platform links together customer spend data, product attributes, and web browsing data to deliver precise insight into consumer behaviour and needs. These insights are used to target consumers with highly relevant products on retailers’ websites, apps and in-store.
‘A major development within convenience delivery’: Snappy Shopper teams up with Trust Payments
Snappy Shopper, a home delivery app serving convenience stores, has teamed up with EPoS supplier, Trust Retail, to integrate its technology with Snappy Shopper retailers.
The aim here is to help retailers achieve quicker deliveries and control a bigger and more relevant store range to aid improved basket spend and all-round store efficiency.
This is achieved by Trust Payments’ ability to offer retailers real-time stock checking, pricing and sales updates to reduce retailer time spent on administrative tasks which will in turn, free up hours to deliver a better customer experience to drive repeat orders and store loyalty.
As well as this, Trust Payments’ experience in non-grocery sectors means retailers can harness this for a more extensive store offering.
L’Occitane en Provence enlists Emperia and Steven Wilson for launch of new holiday virtual store
Set up in a cozy chalet within the Provençal French Alps, the experience aims to reflect the brand’s focus on the joy of giving and sharing, bringing about the spirit of gifting, allowing guests to discover its limited edition holiday ranges, alongside a learning journey into L'Occitane’s recycling initiatives.
Stepping outdoors, each guest is greeted by a Christmas experience, with an Olive tree that they can light up themselves.
The Provencal Christmas tree, a millenary tree symbolisng joy, strength and togetherness, is also the spot where guests get to create their own personalised postcard, containing their curated product wishlist, to send to their loved ones.
JD Sports taps into hype around Crocs as TikTok video surpasses 10 million views and 1.4 million likes
JD Sports has turned the arrival of a giant fluffy Croc at its Arndale, Manchester store into a social media success story.
In a LinkedIn post, Lauren Chadwick, Social Media Executive at JD Sports, said: “Mega proud of this one. Ten million views later. Last week a giant fluffy Croc arrived in the JD Arndale store, immediately I’m thinking of how we can get it on social.”
She added: “I saw a trending sound about (Formula 1 driver) Lando Norris floating around TikTok and thought it would fit perfectly around my idea. A few days later, I’ve surpassed ten million views on the video.”
“McLaren Automotive (Norris’ team) dropped a comment on how they thought Lando would love the content, so I sent him a pair of Crocs to the McLaren HQ.”
“Over 1.4 million likes and 10,000 comments later, the sentiment has been super positive and just shows the hype around Crocs at the moment.”
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