An autonomous stores first in Dubai: 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 Polytag, Expereo, Trigo, Parkopedia, Metacask, TPP Retail, and Vaayu.
One Water
Polytag has announced a new partnership with One Water, a UK-based ethical hydration brand, that will see its unique QR codes printed onto selected products to incentivise recycling and provide insight into the lifecycle of the brand’s packaging.
The collaboration follows Polytag’s partnerships with Ocado, Co-op and Aldi.
Carlsberg Group
Carlsberg Group has chosen Expereo to manage its internet connectivity in 40 countries at 160 sites in support of the company’s global digital transformation journey.
Carlsberg Group brews such beers as Tuborg, Kronenbourg 1664, Poretti, Experimental and of course Carlsberg (hic). With over 40,000 employees and 140 brands in its portfolio, its is one of the largest employers in Denmark.
Expereo was selected to implement and manage a new internet underlay network to ensure seamless performance wherever employees, partners and customers are located.
LESTRANGE and Vaayu
LESTRANGE and Vaayu have launched what is pitched as the world’s first life cycle calculator with live data insights to help customers see how their fashion habits impact their environmental footprint.
Re_Count helps customers shop and care for their clothes by sharing information to explore fashion and care habits with actionable tips that could cut emissions per wear by up to 50%, those involved claim.
People can play with various scenarios by answering a set of questions to assess how decisions such as product selection and aftercare choices can extend the life of a garment and, in turn, decrease its footprint over the full product lifetime.
The fluctuating CO2e impact of making small changes, like modifying washing methods, is visualised through infographics and equivalencies so that customers can really understand how their choices shape up against their environmental footprint, with tips on how to make reductions.
The complex nuances are simplified so that customers can explore different levers to see how adjustments such as wearing an item for longer between washes, reducing the washing temperature or holding on to it for an extended period of time can either increase or decrease the overall footprint of that garment in a way that has never been seen before.
Slerp
Slerp, a technology solution for restaurants and the hospitality sector, has introduced a new AI supported customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
The company says it has identified that the magic number for turning occasional digital customers into loyal, repeat patrons is three orders over a reasonable time period relative to the type of venue.
The new solution aims to convert existing customers into loyal users of the restaurant’s own direct ordering and delivery solutions. The benefits to the restaurant being a better margin, whilst customers benefit from personalised offers and rewards.
Škoda
Škoda is expanding its digital services to include Pay to Fuel in collaboration with Parkopedia, who the company also works with for the existing Pay to Park service.
Pay to Fuel aims to make paying after refuelling quicker and more convenient for Škoda drivers, with motorists able to save time by paying directly through the car’s infotainment system.
The stations supporting it are listed in the in-car navigation. After choosing one of these, the vehicle automatically recognises the fuel station upon arrival. The driver opens the app on the vehicle’s display, confirms the petrol station and enters the pump number.
After refuelling, the amount of fuel is confirmed on the infotainment screen and the payment is processed via debit or credit card. All common cards are accepted. The driver then receives a transaction notification in the MyŠkoda app and on the vehicle screen and can pull away.
KFC UK & Ireland
KFC UK & Ireland has launched an exclusive partnership with Uber Direct, Uber’s white label delivery solution, to provide its UK customers with fast deliveries through the fast food giant’s app.
Orders placed through the app will leverage the same technology and courier network that powers Uber Eats.
Uber’s technology provides customers with real-time tracking from their local restaurant to their delivery address and 24/7 customer support for orders should they need it.
The first phase of the roll-out of Uber Direct has begun, and all of KFC’s 916 stores across the UK and Ireland are due to move exclusively to it for their app orders by January 2024.
Coles
Coles 360 has announced a new partnership with out-of-home ad tech provider Broadsign and an agreement with Nova.
Paul Brooks, General Manager at Coles 360, says: “We’re determined to provide unique, impactful, and measurable omnichannel media solutions and these partnerships allow us to do just that.”
Etisalat
Etisalat’s first 100% autonomous store has opened its doors, powered by Trigo and Amdocs.
This can be found in the Dubai headquarters of Etisalat by e&, a United Arab Emirates telecom provider, and allows shoppers to browse and purchase premium electronic goods.
The Emirati multinational telecommunications services Etisalat is operating in 16 countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. One of the largest mobile network operators and internet hubs in the world, it also operates hundreds of stores and other points of sale.
Sheeva.AI and Visa Acceptance Solutions
Sheeva.AI, a provider of in-vehicle payments and services, and Visa Acceptance Solutions, a specialist in digital payments, have launched a new tokenization platform for in-vehicle commerce.
Sheeva.AI will leverage Cybersource Token Management Service, a part of Visa Acceptance Solutions, to power what is pitched as the first multi-use tokenization platform for in-vehicle payments by using precise vehicle location to authorise payments at the point of service.
“The ease and efficiency of tokenization unlocks the multi-billion-dollar opportunity that is in- vehicle payments,” says Evgeny Klochikhin, Founder and CEO at Sheeva.AI.
“Our product suite empowers the driver to locate and activate the fuel dispenser, EV charging station, parking gate or toll from inside the car to enable the transaction to happen, and Visa Acceptance Solutions’ platform makes the payment simple and seamless.”
B&M
Discount retailer, B&M, has selected TPP Retail as its partner to drive operational efficiency across its 700+ UK stores with the implementation of Retail IQ.
It was looking for a modern solution that could scale at speed and support in-store operations. Needing to replace its existing mobile devices, B&M hooked up with TPP Retail.
The Retail IQ solution was chosen to replace its legacy system and optimise in-store operations including pricing, labelling, promotions, and stock management processes.
Deployed on Zebra TC21 mobile devices for maximum compatibility with B&M’s existing estate of Zebra mobile printers, this has been implemented across 714 stores in four weeks.
Grace O'Malley Irish Whiskey
In what is being pitched as an industry first, Grace O'Malley Irish Whiskey and street artist KinMx have joined forces with Metacask, a blockchain powered spirits marketplace, to launch THE GRACE - a limited collection of digitally connected bottles.
Together, the 501 bottles form a 6 x 4.5m mural of Ireland’s legendary pirate queen, Grace O’Malley.
This is the final ‘reveal’ in a year long creative partnership that combines art, whiskey and technology to bring Irish contemporary culture and heritage to the forefront.
Available to buy now from €450, this gives collectors and whiskey lovers the chance to own a one of a kind piece of decentralised artwork from KinMx.
Created first as a street mural in Dublin, KinMx’s artwork idolising the aforementioned female leader, has been recreated across a canvas of 501 matt black Grace O’Malley whiskey bottles before being filled with a 13 year-old single grain Irish Whiskey with Amarone Finish.
Balenciaga
EON has announced a partnership with Balenciaga to launch what is pitched as an industry first, tech enabled merch series with an exclusive media experience for Balenciaga customers that will give them access to a custom produced song by Archive, a London-based trip-hop group.
The song, titled Patterns, was composed exclusively for Balenciaga Music and is not available anywhere else or through any other channel.
According to a press release: “The launch marks the beginning of a new era where fashion products are not just physical assets, but also gateways to multimedia experiences where customers can connect directly with brands and creators”.
Forest Produce
Forest Produce, a supplier of specialist ingredients and chef’s essentials, has rolled out logistics planning, route optimisation and electronic proof of delivery software from Podfather.
Using the system, it says that it is improving its eco credentials and responding to a challenging labour market. The company has also reduced its back office administration, eliminated paperwork and significantly speeded up new driver training.
NorgesGruppen
Norway’s largest grocery retailer, NorgesGruppen, has chosen Manhattan Active Warehouse Management to meet the expanding delivery expectations for customers of its premium supermarket brand, MENY.
The NorgesGruppen family includes household Norwegian brands such as Kiwi, Meny, Spar and Joker, covering the full range of grocery retail.
With 1,800 grocery stores, a further 900 retail convenience goods stores, plus ASKO, NorgesGruppen’s wholesale arm, which offers over 25,000 products, to 14,000 clients from an additional 13 warehouses, the organisation offers food and consumer goods to 88% of the country.
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