Featuring Target, Co-op and Ikea UK: RTIH runs you through 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 pizza delivering robots, quick commerce milestones, live commerce tie-ups, Mother’s Day initiatives, and virtual try-on technology.
Co-op and Just Eat
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.
SpartanNash
Food solutions company SpartanNash has announced plans for the use of Simbe’s autonomous inventory robot, Tally, in 15 grocery stores in Michigan and Indiana, USA.
After a pilot in select D&W Fresh Market stores, SpartanNash is implementing the solution in additional Family Fare and Martin's Super Market locations.
Tally traverses store aisles throughout the day, leveraging 3D computer vision technology to collect highly accurate shelf data. It can capture 15,000 to 30,000 products an hour, ensuring products remain in-stock, in the correct location, and accurately priced.
Ikea UK
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.
Domino’s Pizza
Domino's Pizza is testing out autonomous robots for the delivery of its home orders in Spain.
A collaboration with Goggo Network has resulted in five robots operating in the Madrid town of Alcobendas, which has more than 116,000 inhabitants.
These are equipped with the likes of cameras, radar and ultrasound sensors, which allow them to recognise and locate themselves with complete precision in real-time, even in complex urban environments. They are also completely electric.
Customers can follow the path of the robot by GPS and receives a text message when it is about to arrive, with a code to open a door and grab their food. Once delivered, the robot returns to the store on its own.
Yochananof
A2Z Smart Technologies Corp. reports that, in addition to an existing order of 1,300 smart carts from Yochananof, the Israeli grocery retailer intends to purchase up to another 1,700.
The Cust2Mate smart cart platform automatically scans purchased products and enables in-cart payment, allowing customers to "pick and go" and bypass cashier checkout lines.
Additionally, retail grocers can direct shoppers to discounted products, in-store promotions, and other offers to move inventory from the shelves into carts.
Larusmiani
Larusmiani, an Italian bespoke menswear store, is introducing virtual try-on technology in its Milan store.
With the help of Zyler technology, customers can now try on anything in-store without the need for a physical dressing room.
They can use the screens in-store to choose an outfit, take a selfie, enter measurements, and then view the collection on themselves.
They can experiment with different colours, styles, and fits, and get a clear idea of how the clothes will look and fit before making a purchase.
The experience is in collaboration with Deloitte, as part of its Luxury Experience Lab in the Larusmiani store at the heart of Montenapoleone District in Milan.
BloomsyBox
Infobip has teamed with sustainable flower delivery service BloomsyBox and conversational AI company Master of Code Global, on a generative AI experience for Mother’s Day.
This offers users an opportunity to win a bouquet of flowers valued at $50, while interacting with a specially trained chatbot using ChatGPT like technology to automatically generate a custom card for mums on their special day.
Concluding on Wednesday, May 10th, ahead of Mother’s Day weekend, the experience asks users five questions daily, with the first 150 users who answer all questions correctly winning the free bouquet.
Those who do not win will be provided with a coupon code for a discount to purchase a bouquet.
M&S
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.
Target
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.”
Coach
Coach has partnered with Zero10 to bring the company’s augmented reality technology to its Soho store in New York.
From 5th May to 5th June, shoppers will be able to virtually try on eight versions of Coach’s Tabby Bag in different colours and styles.
In a LinkedIn post, Giovanni Zaccariello, SVP Global Visual Experience at Coach, said: “This new AR installation lets window shoppers try on the Tabby bag without stepping foot in-store.”
“Digital versions of the iconic Tabby Bag will be available for try-on through our in-store AR Mirror and AR Storefront, the latter debuting for the first time through this collaboration. Congrats to all the teams at Coach and Zero10.”
Diane Von Furstenberg
Diane Von Furstenberg and Archive have partnered to launch the DVF ReWrap resale programme.
ReWrap offers a search feature called Missed Connections that enables the DVF community to connect personally as they search for specific pieces to refresh their collections.
The section will include a Diane in Search Of list where the designer herself puts out a call for the pieces she wants to add to her own closet, including items from the 2014 Andy Warhol print collection.
The aim is to encourage potential sellers to come back often to see if they might have an in-demand item hanging in their own closet.
Miele
Outform has supported domestic appliance brand Miele in creating a new interactive window display in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter that drives awareness of its TwinDos washing machine.
The activation combines motion tracking with LED screens so that shoppers can activate a virtual TwinDos machine by waving their arms in a circular motion.
It then instructs them to stretch their arms and clap, triggering a visual that shows how its automated double dispensing technology works inside the machine.
At the end of the experience, shoppers are presented with a QR code which they can scan to enter a competition to win a Miele washing machine through a mini website.
Sook and Landsec
Sook has announced its first two site collaborations with Landsec, the largest commercial property development and investment company in the UK, at Trinity Leeds and Bluewater in Kent.
The former takes vacant retail spaces and gives them a modular, digital fit-out which can be rented by the hour.
Nik Porter, Head of Retail Brand Account Management at Landsec, says: “We are pleased to be partnering with Sook to offer our platform spaces to their market leading network of brands.”
“Our platform spaces offer brands a lower barrier to entry to engage with their customers in prime retail destinations. Sook's collaborative and flexible approach has allowed us to partner with them to meet our specific objectives of driving activation and incubating emerging brands into our portfolio.”
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