Starring Żabka Polska, Walmart, and Monoprix: the biggest retail technology news stories of the week
It’s Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail systems space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past five days, including smart carts, virtual stores, autonomous technology, and livestream shopping shows.
1. 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.”
2. Health and beauty retailer Boots UK taps Ocula Technologies’ Ocula Boost solution to boost online experience
Boots UK is deploying Ocula Technologies’ Ocula Boost solution.
The AI platform addresses abandoned shopping carts by analysing sites to: identify actions to improve the customer experience, accessibility and performance; rank insights based on predicted value and effort; and ensure teams focus on the right areas.
In a LinkedIn post, Ocula Technologies said: “We could not be happier to be working with Boots UK, the UK’s leading health & beauty retailer.”
It added: “Ocula Boost will be aiming to further contribute to their incredible success: Boots.com recently posted a 28.9% sales increase over quarter and it was the retailer’s tenth consecutive quarter of market share growth.”
"Ocula Boost is about ensuring the Boots.com experience continues to be best in class and relevant for our customers. The AI capabilities it provides ensure we are making use of the latest technologies to stay ahead,” commented Paula Bobbett, Chief Digital Officer at Boots.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. That’s entertainment: Best Buy taps TalkShopLive technology for holiday season livestream shopping shows
TalkShopLive is set to power a series of live shopping shows for Best Buy.
The three-part holiday shopping series kicked off this week and highlighted the best beauty and wellness tech products, live from the Best Buy Studios.
The events will broadcast on Best Buy’s TalkShopLive channel and will be hosted by the retailer’s Virtual Sales Experts.
Each show will feature tech from some of Best Buy’s newest categories like beauty and wellness, e-transportation, outdoor living, pet tech and even a few not-so-techy things like LEGO.
Additionally, during each show, viewers will see some limited time deals and one person will have a chance to win a $200 Best Buy gift card.
6. Walgreens Boots Alliance brings in Neal Sample as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Walgreens Boots Alliance has named Neal Sample as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Sample will report to CEO Tim Wentworth as a member of the Executive Committee and serve on the IT Governance Committee.
He has been working alongside WBA technology leaders over the course of the last month to assess and advance the company’s technology goals.
Moving forward, he will lead the strategy for WBA’s IT function and the implementation of its technology and digital innovation, with an emphasis on improving the digital experience for customers and patients.
7. Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica taps Navori Labs digital signage and analytics solution
Navori Labs has deployed a unified digital signage software and AI-based camera analytics solution for Walmart Connect, the omnichannel retail media business of Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica.
This is now live across all 173 Walmart Supercenters in Mexico and 180 of 200 in-country Sam’s Club locations, with the remaining 20 stores to follow.
The Navori Labs QL digital signage and Aquaji analytics solution allows Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica to gather customer engagement metrics and offer analytics, including shopper demographics, to DOOH advertising partners that advertise their brands across its in-store digital media networks.
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