Awards season is officially here: 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 Retail Technology Show 2023, TalkShopLive, Target, Ikea UK, Co-op, Just Eat, and the 2023 RTIH Innovation Awards.
1. London calling: Retail Technology Show 2023 pulls in almost 10,000 attendees
Retail Technology Show saw nearly 10,000 retail professionals attend the expo, held at London’s Olympia on 26th and 27th April.
9,963 people visited the exhibition/conference, an increase of +45% from 2022 when 6,850 showed up, including representatives from each of the UK’s top 50 retail brands registered to attend.
They were joined by 306 technology vendors, with the exhibition space sold out with four weeks before the event kicked off.
Conference headliners included Queen of Shops Mary Portas, former JD Sports CEO Peter Cowgill and broadcaster Jake Humphrey.
Dragon’s Den star Steven Bartlett’s session was so popular the gallery space was opened to accommodate hundreds of additional visitors wanting to join.
Matt Bradley, Event Director at Retail Technology Show, comments: “Every year, we set the bar higher, and this year was no different.”
“As the flagship event for retail, we need to be showcasing the cutting-edge innovation and insights that help retailers navigate the digital transformation needed to succeed again a backdrop of uncertainty, economic headwinds and radical consumer behavioural change.”
“But, just as importantly, this is an event that celebrates the energetic, dynamic heart of retail and the people who drive it forward and the event certainly celebrated the work hard, play hard attitude that imbues the industry.”
“Once again, we saw unrivalled innovation and tech championed on the show floor and the brightest minds in retail and beyond taking to the stages – this paired with a real festival feel and all the networking opportunities our visitors have come to expect from the Retail Technology Show, made for an unmissable event.”
2. TalkShopLive teams with Target to create shoppable, entertaining content that meets omnichannel needs
TalkShopLive has added Target to its live streaming, social selling online platform.
Bryan Moore, CEO and Co-Founder at TalkShopLive, said: “We created TalkShopLive as the ultimate live commerce solution for brands, publishers, entrepreneurs, creators, and retailers of all sizes.”
“We are honoured to welcome Target to our platform today with the launch of Target TalkShopLive. Their first show will take place on 16th May at 7pm ET with The New York Times best selling author and BookTok star Tessa Bailey.”
He added: “Target has an incredible track record for creating dynamic customer experiences and we at TalkShopLive couldn’t be more excited to partner with them.”
“Together, we will create shoppable, entertaining content that meets their customers wherever they consume content., all the while reaching new customers through our ever-growing TalkShopLive content distribution network.”
3. Ready to roll: 2023 RTIH retail technology awards are now open for submissions
After launching in 2019 and delivering hugely successful follow up events in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the RTIH Innovation Awards return in 2023 with a discussion panel and awards ceremony to be held in central London venues during December.
The fifth edition of the awards is now open for entries.
The event celebrates global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
We received a record number of submissions in 2022, with winners including Sook, B&Q, 3D Cloud by Marxent, Compass Group, AiFi, Walmart, Ribble Cycles, Obsess, HyperFinity, Red Ant, Pets at Home, and TPP Retail.
Our winners and highly commended companies were announced at a sold out event in central London on Tuesday, 6th December.
For 2023, we are introducing new categories and expanding the awards ceremony in December to accommodate more attendees (further details on that will be revealed in the near future).
Scott Thompson, Editor and Founder of RTIH, says: “Our awards celebrate the dynamic, resilient and innovative retail sector and the companies and technologies that drive it forward.”
“Competition was tougher than ever in 2022, so to emerge victorious was no mean feat.”
“Congratulations to our winners and highly commended companies. I excited to launch the fifth edition of the awards. The 2023 event will be the biggest and best yet.”
Deadline for 2023 submissions is Friday, 3rd November, with winners being revealed at the aforementioned event in central London during December.
4. Ikea UK opens new multi-million pound customer distribution centre in Dartford, Kent
Ikea UK has opened a new 452,000 sqft customer distribution centre in Dartford, Kent.
The retailer says that the new multi-million-pound facility will enable faster, more sustainable home deliveries to customers in London and the southeast of England.
Located at the former Littlebrook Power Station site near the Dartford Crossing and M25, the DC is placed on the border of London to deliver almost one million orders annually – with many reaching customers within 24 hours of an order being placed.
Today, almost every second Ikea purchase in London takes place online.
Closer to the customers that it serves, the facility will enable a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and is operated by 100% renewable energy.
By 2025, 100% of Ikea customer orders in London will also be delivered by electric vehicles.
To enable this, the retailer will install 28 rapid HGV chargers at the distribution centre, to power up HGVs while loading and unloading goods in under an hour. Additionally, 60 overnight chargers are set to be installed.
5. Marks and Spencer customer insight team taps Vypr VyPops video insights tool
Marks & Spencer has deployed VyPops to support its food trends research and product development planning.
Using the new video insight tool from Vypr, the retailer’s customer insight team says it has strengthened its research with video clips of customers from across the UK speaking in their own words.
The self-recorded videos were embedded into a live digital report sent to internal teams.
VyPops provides soundbites of consumers talking about how particular trends affect their daily lives and shopping behaviour.
M&S was able to target specific consumer groups about key themes, including the cost of living, on-demand eating through the rise of delivery apps, and flexible routines rising from the post-Covid hybrid/work from home landscape.
The consumer insight team also wanted to determine how sustainability affects people’s daily lives.
6. Co-op and Just Eat tie up nears milestone as retailer aims to bag 30% of UK rapid grocery delivery market
Co-op’s partnership with Just Eat is set to reach almost 1,000 stores by the end of this month.
The convenience retailer is raising the total number of stores on the platform following a trial with Just Eat, with the move forming part of Co-op's ambitions to secure around one-third of the UK online quick convenience market.
Co-op also estimates that more than 80% of the UK population will have access to its groceries online by the end of this year, through its own online shop and with partners.
Last year, it saw its online revenues grow by 24%, with the convenience retailer using the advantage of picking orders from stores located in the heart of communities.
Over the last six months, it has also expanded its use of autonomous grocery deliveries, with self-driving robots now in the areas of Bedford, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Leeds and, most recently, Greater Manchester where robots rolled-out in March a partnership with Starship Technologies.
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