All-consuming, hellish projects: 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 OnBuy, Retail Technology Show 2023, Tesco Whoosh, Videowise, Zippin, Currys, and YOOBIC.
Focus on Nuvei, PayPal and Klarna as e-commerce firm OnBuy gears up to launch new payment services
UK-based online marketplace, OnBuy, has gone live with new payment services, Nuvei, PayPal, and Klarna.
In a LinkedIn post, Cas Paton, Founder and CEO at OnBuy, said: “So this week is a big week for OnBuy and me personally... what 12 months it's been to get here. This week we'll launch our new payment services and go live with Nuvei, PayPal and Klarna, which is going to be awesome. I can feel it!”
He added: “Since Christmas 2021 we announced we were going to do this. After planning, this project of moving OnBuy to 'Merchant of Record' (MoR) has been an all-consuming, hellish project, which has seen us park most other work, stagnate the business, and essentially completely rebuild the platform and the way we do payments, not only with customers, but with sellers as well.”
“It's the first time we've ever been this close to customers, sellers and really jumping into 'Mature Marketplace' territory. This move was inevitable, unavoidable, but a bit like going through marketplace puberty - annoying and cant wait for it to be over. There isn't a single person at OnBuy that hasn't been affected by this in at least a big way.”
Check out the Retail Technology Show conference programme including Mary Portas, Peter Cowgill
The conference programme for Retail Technology Show 2023 is now complete.
Retail Technology Show 2023 will take place on 26th and 27th April at London’s Olympia.
Conference speakers include Queen of Shops, Mary Portas, Dragon’s Den star Steven Bartlett and former JD Sports CEO, Peter Cowgill.
Check out the full programme here.
There are also over 300+ tech innovators and solutions providers exhibiting on the show floor.
Slack Fund leads the way in $3 million seed funding round for e-commerce startup Videowise
Videowise, an e-commerce video platform founded in 2021, has announced a seed round funding of $3 million led by Slack Fund, with participation from FounderCollective, Underline Ventures, MuVentures and Ratio Ventures.
“We are committed to supporting companies driving innovation and big ideas. We are thrilled to work with Videowise as the company brings an innovative, commerce centric video platform to revolutionise how brands and retailers interact with customers,” says Slack Fund Senior Associate Dillon Ferdinandi.
Examining the 2023 retail technology recruitment landscape
Check out this insightful article by By Alex Gillespie, Co-Founder & Director at Gillespie Manners.
The Tampa Bay Rays tap Zippin technology for checkout free Short Stop store launch
American baseball team Tampa Bay Rays have brought a new checkout-free concessions experience to the Budweiser Porch located in Center Field.
The concept, called Short Stop, utilises technology from Zippin.
High resolution camera tech and shelf sensors eliminate the checkout process. Fans validate a payment type upon entry into the store, grab what they want, and exit the store.
Tesco hits 1,000 Express stores milestone for its Whoosh rapid grocery delivery service
Tesco reports that its rapid delivery service, Whoosh, is now available from 1,000 Express stores across the UK.
This first launched in May 2021 and is now available from half of Tesco’s estate of Express convenience stores across the UK, serving 55% of UK households.
The Hammersmith Olympia Express in London became the 1,000th location to offer rapid grocery delivery to the door when it launched recently.
Whoosh offers customers the chance to order food or snacks from a curated list of 2,500 to 4,500 essential products in as little as 30 minutes, with delivery set at £2.99 for orders that cost £15 or more.
Tesco claims that the immediacy of the service and convenience of home delivery is popular with customers looking for things like a quick and easy meal deal or last minute purchases.
It has been looking at ways to improve the customer experience, with new features on the app such as 15 minute delivery window estimates and live tracking of the rider on a map.
Globe Life Field achieves a first in Dallas area by tapping Amazon Just Walk Out tech and Amazon One
Two convenience oriented foodservice outlets are now open at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers – and they are the first in a Dallas area sports and entertainment venue equipped with Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One.
The outlets, which are branded Express Grill and operated by Delaware North, are located near sections 108 and 124.
Offerings include cheeseburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, sausage and corn dogs, along with an assortment of packaged beer, spiked seltzers, soda, bottled water, chips, candies and sundries.
Those visiting the stores can insert their credit card or hover their palm at the entry gates to shop.
Currys Collects: UK tech retailer Currys tackles e-waste problem as it pilots collection service
Currys has announced a new tech recycling service - Currys Collects.
This brings its Cash for Trash initiative, which has seen over 46,500 tonnes recycled in the last year, to people’s doors, taking away unwanted or broken technology.
A pilot in Bradford sees a Currys Collects electric van driving around the city collecting items from people.
The van will also park up at the local community centre, Community Works, for drop-in sessions where experts will answer any questions people may have, whilst collecting tech in exchange for £5 Cash for Trash vouchers.
Items that Currys will be picking up include anything that houses wiring or batteries, included but not limited to; batteries, chargers, cables, beauty appliances such as straighteners and hair dryers, and kitchen appliances like kettles and toasters.
Two worlds collide as Sook Founder John Hoyle talks loss of his wife and brutal few months for startups
The founder of Sook, a startup focused on vacant retail spaces and giving them a modular, digital fit-out which can be rented by the hour, has taken to social media to discuss his mixed emotions as his company this week celebrates its fourth birthday.
John Hoyle said in a LinkedIn post: “in addition to Sook being four years old, it’s also four months since my amazing wife died.”
“It’s been a brutal period for most startups as global economies falter. For me two worlds collided as I learned my wife wouldn’t make it to Christmas the same week Liz Truss launched her mini budget, destroying weakening investor sentiment overnight.”
He continued: “Although it’s not been easy, the incredible Sook team has rallied just like they did when we needed to survive the pandemic.”
Everything staff need in one place: Flash Coffee taps YOOBIC frontline employee experience app
Frontline employee experience platform specialist, YOOBIC, has added Flash Coffee to its client roster.
Founded in 2019, Flash Coffee now operates 250 stores across six countries, with plans to further expand across Asia Pacific.
It says that, with YOOBIC’s tech, it aims to empower its employees to perform at their best and provide exceptional customer experiences by providing them with everything they need in one place.
The YOOBIC app will enable it to: foster employee engagement and build a strong community across all stores; share best practices and gather employee feedback to continually improve operations; accelerate onboarding for new joiners and upskill existing staff members with gamified micro-learning; digitise daily operations and processes, including new campaign execution, operational routines and checklists, store visits, and maintenance requests.
CommerceHub supports M&S digital transformation journey with Commerce Suite solution
CommerceHub is working with Marks & Spencer (M&S) on its digital transformation journey, equipping the retailer with its Commerce Suite solution.
This provides tools to help companies grow their online business.
M&S says it will be able to quickly onboard new suppliers, manage orders and handle returns more easily.
These capabilities enable it to offer more products to customers without the need for additional, owned inventory and increases the ability to respond quickly to changes in customer demand.
Check out our LinkedIn page here.
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