The latest from Ikea, Amazon, and Target: RTIH’s 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 a first for Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, a big move by Target, and a significant AR deployment at Ikea.
1. MLS club Austin FC deploys Amazon Just Walk Out technology at ATX Market store
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.
2. Thinking big: Target stumps up $100 million for sortation centres to boost online delivery times
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.
3. Social success: Currys hails “incredible” results from retailer’s viral Airfryer Pancakes TikTok video
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).”
4. Optimising store operations: Fashion giant Bestseller selects Nedap for Vero Moda RFID roll-out
Nedap has been selected by Bestseller to deploy its iD Cloud RFID platform across the retailer’s Vero Moda stores.
Bestseller completed the roll-out to 380 stores in January.
Casper Terp Harboe, RFID Project Manager at Bestseller, comments: “Our primary focus is to optimise store operations even further by adding RFID-based goods receiving and sharing transactional data to close the loop around RFID.”
“With this single view on all stock, Vero Moda can successfully offer the right products at the right place without high safety thresholds. This has a positive impact on sustainability and profitability.”
Harboe concludes: “As a company, we take nothing for granted, especially not customer loyalty. To keep our customers happy, we always need to have the right product available across all our sales channels without overstocking and overproducing.”
“Our stores play a vital part in this ambition. Now that we are taking the next step in our RFID journey, we need a partner that enables us to meet our ambitions. We found that partner in Nedap with its global user community and proven track record."
5. MillerKnoll 3D leader and La-Z-Boy alumna added to 3D Cloud by Marxent advisory board
3D Cloud by Marxent, a 3D experience platform for the furniture and home improvement spaces, has announced the appointment of Lorna Jean Marcuzzo of MillerKnoll and Gail Applin, formerly of La-Z-Boy, to its advisory board.
Marcuzzo, currently Senior Digital Product Manager for 3D Visualisation at MillerKnoll, brings over a decade of experience in the contract furniture space with a focus on innovation.
Similarly, Applin served as Director of eCommerce and Interactive Customer Experience at La-Z-Boy for nearly a decade and is presently Director of E-Commerce Strategy and Operations at Smith & Noble.
"Both Lorna Jean and Gail bring a wealth of furniture industry experience to the table," says Beck Besecker, 3D Cloud by Marxent's CEO and Co-Founder.
"They have considerable industry insight and also know what it takes to lead and deploy successful 3D innovation strategies at scale."
6. Armani beauty teams with payfree and Avery Dennison to bring checkout tech to Berlin International Film Festival
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.
"This new checkout technology perfectly matches the premium customer experience we aim to deliver in beauty retail. We are thrilled to be working again with payfree and Avery Dennison on this innovative project and excited to see it being utilised in our Berlin pop-up,” says Elise Mannweiler, General Manager at Armani beauty.
Mannweiler, who is in charge of the pop-up store project, adds: "We are always looking for ways to improve the shopping experience for our customers and this technology has allowed us to do just that.”
“The feedback from our previous pop-up store in Dusseldorf has been overwhelmingly positive and we are excited to bring this technology to customers in Berlin."
7. Ikea teams with Meta and Warpin Reality to launch AR experience in Swedish stores
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.
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