Featuring Sook, Uncrowd, and Sensormatic: 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 drone deliveries milestone for Walmart, Amazon powered success for checkout-free stores, and a physical retail first for Ikea in Denmark.
1. Stateside success: Amazon Just Walk Out technology connects with college campuses and sporting venues
Although its Just Walk Out technology has yet to take off at grocery locations, Amazon is having some success with universities and sporting venues.
The University of Pittsburgh, for instance, will collaborate with Transact Campus and Chartwell’s Higher Education to bring the tech to a convenience store on the Pittsburgh campus.
“As one of the first universities in the United States to integrate Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology into its on-campus retail environment, Pitt is elevating the student experience by making shopping at The Market at Towers faster, easier and more convenient,” says Matthew Sterne, Vice Chancellor of Business Services at Pitt.
“This collaboration enhances our ongoing efforts to leverage innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our campus community."
Tech savvy, on-the-go college students are a glaringly obvious target market for this frictionless shopping technology.
As are sports fans, who want to spend as much time as possible watching a baseball, soccer etc game, and as little time as possible buying food, drinks etc..
The Seattle Seahawks and Lumen Field are set to expand the venue’s use of Just Walk Out and Amazon One with deployments at both retail and concession locations, including at the new Seahawks Pro Shop Outlet for fan merchandise.
The latter will open starting with the Seahawks home preseason game on 10th August and is located in the northwest corner of the stadium’s main concourse near section 140.
Fans will find a variety of team gear offered at reduced prices including hats, shirts, jerseys, and souvenirs.
2. “Our journey begins now”: Retail technology influencer Tony D’Onofrio returns to Sensormatic Solutions
Tony D’Onofrio has rejoined retail tech big hitter Sensormatic Solutions, taking on the role of President.
D’Onofrio previously spent six years at the company, holding such positions as Marketing Manager and Product Manager, Corporate Product Development Innovation Group.
He has also worked at Tyco International and is a member of the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List.
3. Going global: PropTech startup Sook launches first international retail space with Mall of Africa
Sook, which takes vacant retail spaces and gives them a modular, digital fit-out which can be rented by the hour, has announced a partnership with Mall of Africa (MoA).
This opens the doors for brands to lease UK-based Sook’s rentable space within the MoA’s complex in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The move represents the company's debut into international markets and its first design, commercial, technology assets and business model license agreement.
The lease is secured for a minimum of five years, during which Sook has committed to providing ongoing assistance in revenue generation and technical support.
4. Ikea gets close to the people of Copenhagen as it opens first ever city store in Denmark
Ikea has opened the doors of a new city store in Copenhagen, its first such location in Denmark and sixth overall.
“Today we have come as close to the people in Copenhagen as we have ever been,” says Tolga Öncü, Head of Retail (Ingka Group).
“The home furnishing expertise, the design, and the sustainable elements incorporated in this city store reflect our passion for creating a better everyday life for the many. As we keep investing in similar locations around the world, we look very much forward to welcoming our customers to this exceptional store”
5. Walmart hits drone delivery milestone and celebrates with Oreo related publicity stunt
Walmart reports that it has surpassed 10,000 safe drone deliveries and is revealing the most popular item delivered in this way – the Oreo Family Size Pack.
In celebration of the milestone, the US retail giant has teamed up with Oreo to create a two foot version of the well known cookie and film what is pitched as “one of the most epic Oreo dunks ever witnessed”.
We’ll let you make you own mind about that.
👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
6. Currys CIO Andy Gamble joins data and insights startup Uncrowd as investor and advisor
Andy Gamble has joined Uncrowd as investor and advisor as the UK-based customer data and insights startup looks to scale and expand into the US over the next few months.
Gamble is Chief Information Officer at Currys and a non-exec board advisor at Mulberry.
He has worked in technology for 25 years with some of the world’s largest businesses, including Sony and Dyson, and provided advice to Big Data pioneer Unifi Software until its exit to Dell Boomi in 2020.
Continue reading…