She’s in fashion and getting hitched: 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 shoppable entertainment, generative AI centric hackathons, palm-based identity services, and checkout-free store milestones.
Amazon Fashion
Amazon Fashion customers can now shop outfits inspired by characters in the new big budget Prime Video show Citadel.
In a LinkedIn post, the company said: “The red dress Priyanka Chopra wore in Citadel.”
“From the small screen to our customers’ wardrobes, our Shop the Look brand store for Prime Video’s Citadel is now available in the US,, the UK, Italy, and France.”
“Amazon Fashion customers can effortlessly shop outfits inspired by Citadel characters through our latest shoppable campaign and find accessories to complete their look.”
“That is not all: in the US,, in Luxury Stores at Amazon, customers can discover exclusive styles by Sergio Hudson, including the ‘Nadia’ dress specially reproduced from his archive for the show.”
Amazon Fashion concluded: “Shoppable entertainment is just one way we create new and innovative experiences on behalf of our customers and brand partners.”
M&S
Marks and Spencer hosted its seventh hackathon event last week, with generative AI playing a key role.
In a LinkedIn post, Jeremy Pee, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Marks and Spencer, said: “Yesterday (18th May) we witnessed an incredible display of innovation, collaboration, and sheer talent as we hosted our 7th Hackathon.”
“With over 200 participants and 16 teams across all areas of M&S, it was a remarkable event that was high energy and truly inspiring!”
He added: “Congratulations to all the teams who participated and pushed the boundaries of creativity.”
“We were blown away by the abundance of groundbreaking from automation and chatbots to augmented reality and generative AI, the range of projects showcased the depth of talent within our team.”
Pee gave a special shout-out to Team Magrathea, who “wowed us with their innovative approach to generative AI, focusing on recommending outfits through chat and enhancing access to our company's treasure trove of data through conversation. Well done, Team Magrathea!”
Tesco
Tesco and WWF have partnered with tech startup, AgriSound, to roll-out its insect monitoring device, Polly, across several English apple orchards, just as the spring blossom emerges.
50 of the AI devices - designed to capture and analyse the sound of a range of common pollinating insects - have been deployed across three different sites in Kent.
The aim is to measure the biodiversity benefits of wildflower margins across three large, commercial apple orchards, and their impact on pollination.
AgriSound anticipates that, by identifying areas of low pollinator activity in real-time, the devices will support farmers to boost biodiversity at key sites on farm, to drive up precious pollinator numbers – and ultimately yields.
Data from the devices will also enable farmers to measure the change in pollinator numbers over time, helping to evaluate the benefits of farm level interventions to boost pollinator numbers, helping to enhance biodiversity and reduce the need for artificial fertilisers or pesticides.
WWF and Tesco are funding the trial as part of their Innovation Connections Programme, which aims to support the roll-out of innovative technologies - designed to tackle the climate and nature crises – into and across Tesco supply chains.
Via the programme, AgriSound is working in partnership with AM Fresh, one of Tesco’s key fresh fruit suppliers, which sources fruit from a number of farms across Kent and the South East of England.
Zara
Stripe has been selected as Zara’s partner to process all payments for the retailer’s pre-owned clothing marketplace.
It will use Stripe Connect to move funds between buyers and sellers on the platform.
With Zara Pre-Owned, people take pictures of their unwanted Zara products, which are then cross-referenced with the retailer’s product portfolio, giving potential buyers detailed information on the items they wish to purchase.
The platform also offers Zara customers other sustainable choices, such as the option to donate their clothes or request a repair.
It is now available to customers in the UK, and will expand across other European markets in the second half of 2023.
“Sustainability in retail is finally receiving the attention it deserves to help protect our fragile planet. We're thrilled that Zara has chosen Stripe as they lead the way,” says Eileen O’Mara, Head of Global Sales at Stripe.
Amazon
Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball (MLB) team, has become the first sports venue to use Amazon One for age verification.
In an online post, Amazon said: “We launched Amazon One, our palm-based identity service, to remove friction from everyday activities and create a faster and more convenient way for people to pay or enter a location.”
“Customers love the convenience of paying with their palm; however, when it comes to purchasing alcohol, friction is reintroduced as customers must produce a government-issued ID for age verification.”
It added: “We’re solving that customer pain point and improving the guest experience with the launch of a new capability called "age verification," which enables adult customers ages 21 and over to purchase alcoholic beverages by simply hovering their palm over an Amazon One device, without digging into their wallets for a physical government issued ID.”
Zippin
Checkout-free stores specialist Zippin reached a milestone the past weekend - serving two million shoppers.
A company spokesperson said: “Just seven months ago, we proudly announced our one millionth shopper. Today with two million, Zippin is a clear leader in checkout-free. No other provider has seen as nearly as many customers, making our AI the most mature.”
Walmart
Walmart has opened a Market Fulfilment Centre (MFC) in Arkansas at Store 100 located at 406 S Walton Blvd in Bentonville.
This is built within the store and is powered by a proprietary storage and retrieval system, named Alphabot.
Walmart says that fulfilment through digitisation and connecting its store and supply chain assets end to end will “transform fulfilment. And along with it, customer satisfaction and associate opportunity”.
“This new order fulfilment system is truly game changing,” says Ryan Simpson, the store manager at Store 100.
“Not only does it enhance the customer experience through quicker, more accurate online order fulfilment, it also provides us the runway to continue growing our business now and in the future.”
Asos and Hirestreet
Fast fashion big hitter, Asos, has launched its first ever rental edit in partnership with UK rental marketplace Hirestreet.
The collection includes over 180 styles focused on women’s occasionwear dressing, with the wedding season firmly in mind.
Selected from Asos’ homegrown brands Asos Design, Edition and Luxe, these feature wedding guest outfits, bridal looks and bridesmaid dresses and includes curve, petite and tall sizing options.
With RRPs ranging up to £275, individual items can be hired for 4-, 10- and 30-day periods. Prices start from £20, and customers can also take advantage of Hirestreet’s 2-for-£35 offer.
Isabella West, CEO at Hirestreet, comments: ‘In the UK in 2023, the average cost of attending a friend’s wedding is over £500.”
“That’s why “wedding guest” is our most popular occasion category at this time of the year. We’ve loved working with the team at Asos to curate this collection, and we strongly believe this will be our most popular brand collaboration to date.”
Euronics
SES-imagotag has been selected to roll-out its VUSION IoT Cloud platform in over 50 Euronics stores across the United Kingdom, within the retailer’s Combined Independents (Holdings) (CIH) chain.
After a pilot phase in 20 stores, Euronics is now looking to offer this solution to all its 600+ locations in the UK.
The implementation of the VUSION IoT Cloud platform will enable its stores to better manage their prices and promotions, while ensuring greater responsiveness and accuracy in aisles.
Euronics will be able to leverage digital tags to automate low-value-added tasks and focus associates on customer service as well as product availability.
It will also be able to reduce paper consumption, and deploy in-store IoT at minimal cost and with a reduced carbon footprint thanks to the VUSION native integration with the existing Cisco-Meraki infrastructure.
London ExCel and Amazon
This week sees the launch of Market Express at London ExCeL, pitched as the first checkout-free store within an events space in the UK.
ExCel worked with catering partner, Levy UK + Ireland, on the store, which is powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.
Visitors tap their payment card or mobile wallet upon entry and then said tech detects what is picked up from or returned to its shelves.
When they are finished, they are able to leave the store and their payment method will be charged for their items.
Developed for ExCeL by Levy UK+I’s service solution – BUILT by Levy – the Market Express retail offer includes hot beverages, grab-n-go hot meals, sweet and savoury bakery items, salads, sandwiches, soft drinks and fruit juices.
A snack range including fruit, granola bars, cereals and biscuits are also available, along with essential convenience items from medical supplies and toiletries to reading glasses and umbrellas.
eBay
eBay has launched a pre-loved wedding hub - a collection of second-hand bridal and bridesmaid dresses, accessories and vintage suits.
The e-commerce giant says that it is offering a sustainable and cost-effective option for shoppers to get designer outfits from the likes of Vera Wang, Suzanne Neville, and Pronovias Mildred.
Kirsty Keoghan, Global GM of Fashion at eBay, says: “As we approach peak wedding season, we hope our new wedding hub gives brides to be the option to get their dream wedding outfit, for a fraction of the price.”
“We’re seeing more modern brides looking for wedding outfits that reflect their personality, and by choosing pre-loved, you really can find those unique options, while increasing the lifespan of these amazing dresses - which are often only worn once.”
“With such a broad range of designer options available, there really is an outfit for everyone to dazzle in on their big day and options to suit all budgets, without compromising on style.”
Klarna
Co-op
Robots are rolling out in Wakefield, Yorkshire from this week as a partnership between Starship Technologies, Co-op and Wakefield Council brings autonomous grocery deliveries to local residents.
The service will initially be available to 13,000 residents across 6,500+ households, with orders made through the Starship food delivery app, which is available for download on iOS and Android.
Groceries will be picked from the local Co-op store on Meadow Vale, Outwood, and delivered from store to door in minutes.
The launch follows recent roll-outs in areas of Leeds and Greater Manchester.
Starship’s robots are also in operation in several other locations across the UK, including Milton Keynes; Northampton, Bedford; Cambourne and Cambridge.
LANEIGE
LANEIGE has launched its first immersive virtual store, powered by experiential e-commerce platform Obsess.
This features animation, 360-degree video functionality, gamification and seamless checkout.
The layout consists of five rooms that are each custom designed around specific LANEIGE products and video content.
“We’re so excited to bring LANEIGE to our online customers in an immersive and unique way with the help of Obsess,” says Julien Bouzitat, CMO of AmorePacific US, LANEIGE’s corporate parent company.
“The virtual store is a powerful customer engagement tool that will allow shoppers to dive into LANEIGE’s unique scientific expertise and entertaining digital content, while also helping them select the right product for their skin needs, including our bestselling Water Sleeping Mask and Lip Sleeping Mask.”
Bensons for Beds
Bensons for Beds is using Emplifi Live Advisor solution to deliver live shopping and support to customers.
It’s now possible to connect to in-store experts for real-time tours, product demonstrations, and purchases. By visiting the store’s website, customers can activate a live one-to-one video call.
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