Including Cartken, TalkShopLive, Rovertown: RTIH presents last week’s biggest retail technology plays at a glance
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including New Look, Grubhub, Tesco, Sephora, PacSun, Amazon, Walmart, Janie and Jack, and Kellogg Company.
Grubhub and Cartken
Cartken reports that, through its partnership with Grubhub, more than 50,000 autonomous deliveries have been made via its robots on the University of Arizona’s campus during the ‘22 - ‘23 school year.
Said robots first debuted on the University of Arizona’s campus in August 2022, just in time for the start of the school year.
The University of Arizona had an existing partnership with Grubhub Campus Dining that allows students to use their meal plans to order food from on-campus restaurants via the Grubhub app for pickup.
Through Cartken’s partnership with Grubhub, students are able to select robot delivery as an option when ordering from on campus restaurants.
The university’s more than 40,000 students can now order from 12 on-site restaurants and campus dining facilities and receive their order autonomously at one of the 60 drop-off stations throughout the nearly 400 acre campus.
PacSun
PacSun has selected Manhattan Associates’ Active Point of Sale solution.
The retailer already leverages Manhattan Active Omni's order management and store inventory and fulfilment capabilities.
Expanding its solution set to include PoS rounds out the company’s omnichannel offerings and gives associates a single, intuitive experience across all in-store selling, engagement and fulfilment functions.
The solution helps PacSun deliver a more personalised and modern shopping experience to consumers at the Point of Sale.
Briloner
Briloner has adopted TradeBeyond as its multi-enterprise supply chain platform.
It will use the tech to cover its end-to-end supply chain operations, from product development to sourcing and supply chain.
TradeBeyond has worked with Briloner to implement the platform’s product development, sourcing, supplier management, and vendor purchase order modules.
Briloner has also gone live with TradeBeyond’s logistics capabilities, which the company uses to combine purchase orders and consolidate shipments.
Later this year, Briloner will launch a second phase with TradeBeyond’s quality and sample management modules, including its Mobile Inspector app, which allows quality inspectors to record all data electronically on tablets and mobile devices, and easily attach photos, videos, and voice memos to inspection reports.
The app eliminates the large amounts of manual work and corresponding errors created by paper reporting and data sharing across multiple software systems.
Walmart
Walmart (again)
Walmart is teaming up with Alphabet owned Wing to offer drone delivery from two stores in the Dallas area in the coming months, adding to its existing footprint of 11 hubs in Texas.
“Two years ago, we embarked on a journey to make the convenience of drone delivery a reality for our customers. Over that time we’ve grown to offer it across seven states and 36 stores, completing more than 10,000 safe deliveries,” says Prathibha Rajashekhar, SVP Innovation & Automation, Walmart U.S.
“Today, we’re continuing that momentum by teaming up with Wing, an on-demand drone delivery provider powered by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. The service will be offered from two stores in the Dallas metro area in the coming months, enabling us to reach an additional 60,000 homes.”
New Look
New Look has rolled out return kiosks in partnership with ZigZag Global across a selection of its stores.
The aim is to reduce the amount of time spent by in-store staff processing returns, whilst improving data collection.
After entering information online, customers can choose ‘Return to Store’ as an option and, rather than printing out a sticker, will receive a QR code.
LOOKFANTASTIC
LOOKFANTASTIC, a THG owned online destination for beauty enthusiasts, has launched a patent pending tool designed to match customers with their perfect foundation shade.
Toll Brothers
Toll Brothers has announced the installation of Amazon Just Walk Out tech at the convenience store within its Regency at Folsom Ranch retirement community located in Folsom, California.
This makes it the first residential community west of the Mississippi to adopt the solution as part of its on-site resident amenities.
The store allows residents to scan their Regency app (which includes credit card information) upon entry, grab the items they need, and leave the store without the need to check out.
The technology detects what residents take from or return to the shelves and creates a virtual shopping session.
When residents have completed shopping, they are able to leave the store without having to wait in line, and their choice of payment method through the app will be charged for the items they took with them.
Amazon
Amazon has opened a new Just Walk Out technology powered Amazon Fresh convenience grocery store in Moorgate, London.
There are now 18 of these locations in the UK - 17 of which are in London, and the other at Sevenoaks in Kent. Way off the original target of 200+ by the end of 2025.
To enter the Moorgate store, customers walk through a non-gated entrance and shop for what they need.
At the end of their trip, they can either scan their in-store code (via the Amazon app) at the exit gate or pay by tapping their credit or debit card.
Janie and Jack
Children’s fashion brand Janie and Jack has integrated PredictSpring’s Modern PoS solution into 106 of its stores across the US.
“We are a design house with every kid at its heart, and we are thrilled to continue meeting the needs of our customers through the integration of PredictSpring's Modern PoS system,” says Mo Beig, Executive Vice President and CFO at Janie and Jack.
“The transition from our legacy PoS system to PredictSpring’s Modern PoS has revolutionised our ability to provide highly personalised, fast, and seamless omnichannel journeys to our valued customers.”
Lafayette College
Lafayette College, in partnership with Parkhurst Dining, is introducing Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology just in time for the new academic year, becoming the first Lehigh Valley college or university to offer the option on its campus.
Sephora and J.P. Morgan Payments
J.P. Morgan Payments has announced the launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone for its merchant clients in the US.
The solution allows merchants to accept contactless payments using their iPhones, without the need for a dedicated payments card reader or additional hardware.
Takis Georgakopoulos, Global Head of Payments, J.P. Morgan, says: “Today’s announcement marks a critical moment in time for the evolution of our business.”
“Enhancing the ability for consumers to pay with their preferred method of payment is part of our broader, customer centric approach to simplify omnichannel payment acceptance for our merchant clients.”
“As consumer payment needs continue to rapidly evolve, this is a significant demonstration of our ability to innovate at scale to support our merchant clients through this ongoing transformation.”
Sephora is the first J.P. Morgan Payments client to enable Tap to Pay on iPhone, which is currently rolling out across all its US freestanding stores.
Its beauty advisors can accept contactless credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, and other digital wallets anywhere in the store by using their iPhone and the mobile Point of Sale App – no additional hardware needed, regardless of the purchase amount.
Standard AI
bodo and Packfleet
bodo, a sustainable same-day delivery service used by UK e-commerce brands, has announced a partnership with Packfleet, an all electric courier.
bodo has a portfolio of over 50 brands, including SURI, COAT, TRIP CBD, HeyHarper, PeachyDen, and FreeSoul. It operates central London warehouses powered by solar energy and utilises eco-packaging.
The company collaborates with other sustainability driven firms, such as SURI and COAT, both B Corps, to promote ethical supply chain practices.
Packfleet, also a B Corp, operates in London with a 100% electric fleet charged by renewable energy and steered by routing technology.
It is now facilitating deliveries for bodo customers within the M25.
Dolly Parton and TalkShopLive
American singer-songwriter, musician, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, Dolly Parton, has hooked up with live streaming, social selling network, TalkShopLive.
In a LinkedIn post, the letters CEO and Co-Founder, Bryan Moore, said: “Thrilled to welcome the iconic Dolly Parton back to TalkShopLIve. She has launched her last four products with us and tonight (Friday, 18th August) she brings multiple products, with multiple different fulfilment partners, into the same show.”
“The greatest testament to TalkShopLIve is when our talent, retailer, brand and publishing partners return time and again because they realise incredible success on the platform and move the needle in their overall sales numbers.”
He added: “On a personal note, not only does Dolly make me smile from ear to ear every time I see her or hear her, but it is such a pleasure to work with her incredible team who continues to be at the top of their game - always innovating to create the most dynamic fan experiences.”
“Thank you for trusting us and continuing to make TalkShopLIve part of your product launches.”
Tesco
Tesco has unveiled its 500th home delivery electric van.
This will go into service at the grocery giant’s Sheffield Extra store, making this location the first in Yorkshire to have a fully electric fleet. It runs 14 home delivery vans, making 2,500 deliveries each week.
Since Tesco introduced its first EV home delivery van in 2020 in Greater London, the EVs have replaced 15 million diesel delivery miles.
More than 30 Tesco stores and centres are now operating fully electric home delivery vans across the UK.
Tesco’s fleet of 5,500 home delivery vans deliver to 150,000 customers across the UK every day.
As part of its ambition to become carbon neutral in the UK by 2035, Tesco has committed to operating a fully electric home delivery fleet in the UK by the end of 2030.
Huck’s
Huck’s, a US convenience store chain with more than 120 locations across Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee, has announced the launch of its revamped mobile app.
It says that the Huck’s Bucks Bigg Rewards app, powered by Rovertown, combines the latest in loyalty marketing, scan-and-go payments, and customer engagement strategies.
“Our focus is on providing best in class shopping experiences in our stores as well as on mobile devices,” says Murat Tokad, CEO at Huck’s. “Our new app assists guests with everyday functions and provides targeted offers within an easy to use, modern mobile experience.”
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company has worked with Jisp to help drive interest in and sales of its new Crunchy Nut Salted Caramel and Coco-Pops Choco cereal range.
Shoppers were able to claim a 59p discount on each packet of cereal during a three-week promotion at participating Nisa Retail stores.
In a LinkedIn post, Jisp said: “Discounting is a key weapon for CPG brands when launching a new to market product, but do they know which consumers have engaged with their brand and who then go on to make additional purchases? Thankfully, with Scan and Save they can do both, helping them to measure the value of discount and not just the cost.”
It added: “Every carefully targeted Jisp shopper was sent a timely email and in-app message detailing the fantastic discount on offer and encouraging them to go into their local Nisa store and pick up a bargain.”
“The offer was also promoted with a strong visual call to action within the Scan and Save mobile application and advertised across social channels, both our own and those of our retail partners.”
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