Target thinks big and Ikea explores AR: Presenting the week's coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ‘future of retail’ systems launches and deployments from the past week, including Ikea, Target, Currys, Taco Bell, Pacsun, SAXX, and Häagen-Dazs.
Ikea
Meta and Ikea have partnered with Stockholm-based immersive tech company Warpin Reality to put on an interactive augmented reality experience for families visiting Ikea stores across Sweden.
Called The Little Adventure (“Lilla Äventyret” in Swedish), the AR game can be opened as a filter on Instagram and aims to increase interest and knowledge about life in the ocean, with children able to (virtually) swim with various sea creatures and learn about them.
It also encourages players to engage with themes like littering and pollution prevention, with all three companies involved committed to increasing plastic recycling (for instance, Ikea’s Blåvingad collection from last year).
Ikea Retail Sweden has become the first retailer globally to explore the Meta SPARK AR solution on such a large scale, with the campaign opening across 21 stores this month.
Target
This week, Target announced that it is investing $100 million into supply chain hubs to speed up e-commerce deliveries, projecting to deliver around 50 million packages this year, nearly double the amount in 2022.
This, according to Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon exec, is a good example of Target entering into what he refers to as Target 2.0, whereby the retailer pivots in ways most analysts and consumers aren't expecting.
Currys
Currys recently posted a Airfryer Pancakes TikTok video.
It went viral and, yada yada yada, the electrical retailer is understandably rather happy about it.
Ryan Todd, Senior Social Media & PR Manager at Currys, said on LinkedIn: “Flippin' heck. Incredible results from our viral video: 8.7 million views on TikTok alone; 44 pieces of PR coverage, including almost blanket national coverage.”
He added: “Amazing work from Amneet Atwal (Social Media Manager at Currys).”
bodo and COAT Paints
bodo is partnering with COAT Paints to offer a sustainable delivery option in London.
This is available seven days a week.
Customers within the M25 can benefit from the same-day delivery service, while one-hour slots are available based on the address radius from Hackney. The qualifying postcodes will be presented to customers as an option at checkout.
NeXR Technologies
Berlin-based startup NeXR Technologies will be presenting its fashion avatar solutions at Smart Retail Tech Expo in London next week.
Check the company out at booth ST201.
By using high resolution body scanning technologies, NeXR says it is able to create life like digital replicas of customers and develop customised solutions to reduce returns costs and waste for the fashion industry.
Combining NeXR’s 3D body scanning technology with EyeFitU’s patented SizeEngine, customers can scan themselves at partner stores, like H&M, to create an avatar which will be saved along with body measurements.
By scanning the barcode of a garment, they will receive a sizing recommendation available in-store.
Taco Bell
Austin FC and Amazon
Major League Soccer’s Austin FC has partnered with Amazon to equip the ATX Market at Q2 Stadium with Just Walk Out technology.
This makes it the first soccer specific stadium in the world to introduce the checkout-free solution.
Those visiting the aforementioned store can use their credit card at the ATX Market entry gates to begin their experience.
Once inside, anything a guest selects from the shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart, and anything placed back on the shelf comes out of said cart.
When fans are done, they will be able to leave the store without waiting in line to check-out. Upon exit, the credit card used at entry will be charged for the items they left the store with.
The ATX Market is located near The Zebra Gate at Q2 Stadium’s northwest corner.
SAXX
Men’s underwear and apparel brand SAXX has launched what is pitched as the first ever dedicated virtual store by an underwear company.
This is an immersive experience in the metaverse, powered by Emperia, that allows shoppers to browse three-dimensional items in a 360-degree showroom.
The store exclusively features underwear, tops and swimwear from SAXX’s DropTempTM collection, which uses proprietary evaporative fabric to cool the body.
Upon entering, shoppers are transported to an oxymoronic environment where it’s snowing in the desert, highlighting the cooling qualities of DropTempTM. A short pathway lined with shoppable product displays leads to an open air showroom.
More items can be found around the showroom’s swimming pool, including underwear, short and long sleeve tops, polos and hoodies with UPF 50 that can be worn in the water.
Shoppers are encouraged to “dive in” to the pool, which unlocks another retail area consisting of a variety of prints from SAXX’s swimwear line.
Häagen-Dazs
Häagen-Dazs, working with EIT Food (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), has launched The Start-Up Innovation Challenge.
The aim is to explore the potential for innovation in technology and ingredients, with a particular focus on opportunities to increase the sustainability potential of the ice cream brand.
General Mills, which owns Häagen-Dazs, recently opened a Research & Development (R&D) centre in Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines (North of France), next to Häagen-Dazs’ production site.
The aforementioned challenge, meanwhile, will seek to build direct collaborations with startup companies from around Europe and partner countries, on five issues related to the different ways of developing, distributing, and consuming ice cream.
Startups can apply here.
Ten businesses will then be selected to take part in a demonstration day at the Häagen-Dazs R&D Centre on 13th June. Following that, at least two winners will be given the opportunity to partner with Häagen-Dazs and develop a proof of concept.
Armani beauty
Visitors to the Berlin International Film Festival will be able to enjoy a new shopping experience, with Armani beauty opening a cashier-less pop-up store at the heart of Berlin's Potsdamer Platz.
From 16th-26th February, film fans and passers-by can test and buy a variety of fragrances and make-up products in a set up made possible by grab and go technology provider payfree and Avery Dennison, a specialist in digital identification solutions.
It is the second time Armani beauty has partnered up with payfree and Avery Dennison to implement an RFID-based check-out.
In November 2022, they showcased their cashierless pop-up store-concept in Dusseldorf – the first ever in the beauty sector.
Dimona
Dimona, a provider of gift store merchandise and souvenirs, has announced the launch of MishiPay scan and go and self-checkout technology at its Space Adventure Exhibition gift store in Boston, MA.
Customers can now experience a cashless shopping experience with no checkout lines or cashiers.
With MishiPay technology, they can scan items as they add them to their cart, and checkout using their mobile device. The self-checkout system allows customers to scan and bag their items at their own pace, without the need for assistance from a cashier.
The store is also equipped with two self-checkout kiosks to assist customers who can’t use their phone to checkout. MishiPay covers 100% of the store transactions.
Pacsun
Pacsun has launched its second virtual experience Pacsun Los Angeles Tycoon on Roblox.
The experience pays homage to the brand’s Southern California roots by offering the community the opportunity to build their own map of SoCal, including initial builds in Downtown LA, Santa Monica and Hollywood, with future expansions to come.
It comes almost a year after the release of PacWorld, Pacsun's interactive mall experience.
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