Catching up: RTIH pulls together the retail technology news you might have missed last week
Failed to keep up with the breaking retail technology news last week? Then have no fear as RTIH has you covered. Here are the major stories that you need to know about. Includes CADS, Henderson Group, City Beach, NewStore, EE, Secret Sales, Zapp, Temenos, DoorDash, and Aldi.
M-Cube research: nine in ten retailers see revenues increase due to digital signage adoption
A study of 250 UK-based retail leaders, conducted by M-Cube, shows that 91% have experienced revenue increases after investing in digital signage solutions.
98% of those surveyed believe that retail media will shape the future of retail. Moreover, 89% are turning to retail media strategies to enhance profit margins.
60% predict that up to a quarter of their revenue will stem from such solutions. In fact, 48% noted an uptick in revenue and profits due to this investment.
52% pinpointed increased brand awareness and product discovery as the primary benefits of retail media on the customer shopping experience. When quizzed about the essential components for executing these strategies, 83% emphasised the pivotal role of real-time consumer behaviour data.
CADS helps Henderson Group to transform its retail space planning with StoreSpace solution
Retail space planning specialist CADS has helped Northern Ireland’s largest Spar retailer and wholesaler, Henderson Group, improve its space management process with StoreSpace.
Henderson Group reached out to CADS following a recommendation from Nielsen, which provides Spaceman planogram technology that partners with StoreSpace.
“Our StoreSpace software makes it easier for retailers to optimise their retail space. Henderson Group has been able to make better informed planning decisions which help boost sales,” says Richard Burford, CADS’ Customer Success Specialist.
Fashion retail veteran Ian Grabiner makes ‘substantial investment’ in Selectika and becomes President
Selectika, a visual AI and personalisation system for e-commerce, has announced the appointment of Ian Grabiner as President.
Grabiner, who has also made an undisclosed investment in the company, was previously CEO at Arcadia Group, the UK fashion group with brands such as Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridges, and Debenhams that was acquired by boohoo and Asos.
According to a press release: “In his capacity as a key investor, Ian’s commitment to Selectika underscores his belief in the company's mission and its potential to revolutionise the industry. His substantial investment will provide the resources necessary for the company to accelerate its growth and expand its reach in the market.”
A2Z forms advisory board, appoints former Walmart and Starbucks supply chain exec Steve Robinson
A2Z Smart Technologies Corp. has announced the formation of a Cust2Mate advisory board, alongside the appointment of Steve Robinson as a member.
A2Z will use this to help scale and expand its Cust2Mate solution, an AI and computer vision equipped smart shopping cart.
Robinson previously served as the Vice President of Global Supply Chain at Walmart. He has also held the role of Vice President of the Starbucks Center of Supply Chain Excellence.
He is now CEO and founder of non-profit organisation The Supply Chain Project.
Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino exits retirement to promote new Amazon Just Walk Out tech powered store
Pepsi signed Miami Dolphins' Hall of Fame Quarterback Dan Marino to a one-day contract, marking his official return to gameday at the Dolphins' home opener against the Broncos on Sunday.
Marino served as "QB1" of the Wynwood Walkthrough presented by Pepsi, a new concession storefront at Hard Rock Stadium that allows fans to grab and go without stopping for checkout.
This is stocked with PepsiCo beverages and Frito-Lay snacks, with Amazon's Just Walk Out technology in place to get fans at the stadium back to their seats quickly.
The Wynwood Walkthrough presented by Pepsi at Hard Rock Stadium marks the first time a major South Florida stadium will utilise Amazon's Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One.
Otrium and Bleckmann launch garment repair partnership following three month pilot
Digital fashion outlet Otrium has launched a garment refurbishment and repair programme for damaged returns following a pilot scheme.
The initiative is being run in partnership with Bleckmann, a specialist in supply chain management for fashion and lifestyle brands.
Most of the returns that Otrium currently receives can be easily restored and put back on sale. However, in rare cases, returned items are damaged.
“Preventing waste is an important part of Otrium’s DNA, and thanks to our partnership with Bleckmann and their Renewal Workshop team, we can now repair the majority of damaged returns and put them back into circulation,” says Kevin Carolan, Director of Logistics at Otrium.
“We are happy that we can use our position in the fashion supply chain to create lasting change and accelerate towards our mission of reducing the volume of garments that go to landfill.”
EE opens Manchester Experience store in Trafford Centre with former England footballer Ellen White
EE has opened the doors of its new Experience store, alongside former Manchester City player Ellen White, in the Trafford Centre.
Visitors will be able to explore various ‘experience zones’ and ‘room sets’, with each area curated to give customers a taste of future connected living.
Asif Aziz, Retail Director at EE, says: “As one of the UK’s largest technology hubs, we are excited to be bringing our new Experience store format to this vibrant and innovative city, helping our customers and the local Manchester community to get the most out of their technology.”
“We want our stores to be so much more than a traditional phone shop; whether you are an avid gamer, a home worker or even a technology novice, our EE Guides are here to help and share their expertise. We are looking forward to opening the doors to our latest Experience store with the help of Manchester City legend Ellen White.”
City Beach taps NewStore retail technology as it preps mobile app launch across various territories
Australian fashion brand, City Beach, is leveraging NewStore technology to design and launch an app, which will debut on iOS and Android in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States in the coming months.
“After a comprehensive evaluation, it became evident that the NewStore platform was the perfect match from a feature-functionality standpoint,” says Chris Lockwood, Head of E-commerce, City Beach.
“This journey marks a turning point for us, and we are confident that the end product will benefit our business and further our commitment to offering a superior customer experience.”
With NewStore, City Beach will have access to the likes of real-time omnichannel inventory visibility, custom push notifications, and interactive product lookbooks.
eBay UK puts sneakerhead knowledge to test with The Authenticity Lab launch at King’s Cross Station
eBay UK is launching The Authenticity Lab, pitched as a first of its kind multi-sensory experience in London that puts sneakerheads' knowledge to the test.
Curated by Niko B, FD From The Future and Magdi, eBay says that it is pulling back the curtains behind its Authenticity Guarantee programme.
Through sound, touch, taste, sight and smell and the exclusive sixth “Sneaker Sense'', the pop-up will challenge people on their sneaker knowledge and give them a chance to get their hands on the most coveted pairs including Union Jordan 4s and New Balance JJJounds.
Launching outside King’s Cross Station, people can visit The Lab on Friday 22nd and Saturday 26th, between the hours of 9am - 5pm and 10 am - 6pm, respectively. It also travels to Sneakerness London for 48 hours the following weekend, 30th September - 1st October.
Zapp agrees rapid delivery tie up with at home, self-diagnostic tests provider Newfoundland
Newfoundland, a provider of at home, self-diagnostic tests in the UK, and rapid delivery firm, Zapp, have announced a new partnership in London.
Customers can now quickly test for various illnesses and diseases, while also knowing that Zapp has them covered with various personal health and hygiene products, over-the-counter medicines, and everyday essentials.
Secret Sales continues European expansion as it acquires Spanish online fashion retailer Dreivip
Secret Sales, a platform and marketplace for off price retail in fashion, sportswear and beauty, has announced the acquisition of Spanish discount retailer, Dreivip.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
It follows UK-based Secret Sales’ recent expansion into the Netherlands and Belgium, making this the third European territory for the company.
Dreivip will continue to trade as normal until a new co-branded site goes live in October. This will launch with approximately 450 brands, with a further 70 Spanish brands and retailers in advanced stage conversations.
Dexory announces new investment from Schenker Ventures and eyes expansion into new territories
Dexory has secured an undisclosed additional investment with Schenker Ventures, the corporate investment arm of DB Schenker.
It says that the cash will allow greater focus on introducing its DexoryView solution across Europe and into the US in the coming months. This follows a $19 million Series A funding announcement in June.
Dexory’s solution addresses the need for improved visibility, better space utilisation and increased efficiency in warehouse operations. It brings together autonomous robots, capable of capturing rich image and sensor data from across a warehouse, with analytics and insights.
Ikea announces Stateside in-store and online buy now, pay later partnership with Afterpay
Ikea USA has introduced its first ever buy now, pay later (BNPL) programme in partnership with Afterpay.
The latter’s Pay in 4 service is now available nationwide in-store and online.
“We value our customers and strive to ensure accessibility and affordability. We aim to provide the best shopping experience with great quality products, for the many,” says Christine Briganti, Financial Services Deployment Project Leader at Ikea US.
“By partnering with Afterpay, we will lower the barriers for our customers to design their dream spaces.”
Forest launches Points of Interest partnership with Whole Foods Market, live across five London stores
London-based Forest has launched a partnership with Whole Foods Market UK, allowing the retailer to highlight its store-based promotions within the shared eBike app.
Forest created the AdTech map function, a ‘Point of Interest’, to allow partner companies to showcase their products, services and discounts within its home page map.
Whole Foods Market’s Point of Interest will become a permanent feature of the map during the period of the partnership, reinforcing the brand every time a rider uses the dockless eBikes.
The launch of the partnership is the inaugural Point of Interest tie-up for the micromobility company which has developed the AdTech feature itself.
Temenos: many Americans ditching cash and expecting all payments to become digital
Three in five Americans expect all payments to be digital in the near future, rising to two thirds among Millennials (67%), according to research from banking platform provider, Temenos.
A survey of 2,000 US adults found that 24% never or rarely use cash (less than monthly), preferring methods such as mobile banking and payment apps.
71% use mobile or online banking for payments with 36% sending account to account transfers via wire or ACH at least monthly.
53% use a payment app like PayPal or Venmo at least monthly while 41% opt for a mobile wallet such as Google Pay or Apple Pay. 26% use QR codes for payments, while 16% do so via some form of cryptocurrency.
Athletic Propulsion Labs boosts e-commerce performance with True Fit AI powered fit guidance
Luxury performance trainer brand, Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL), has worked with True Fit to achieve a boost in e-commerce revenue while reducing fit related returns from those customers leveraging the latter’s recommendations.
APL first began its partnership with True Fit as it scaled its direct to consumer (DTC) business, with the goal of offering its shoppers fit guidance.
It now leverages True Fit’s Fashion Genome platform to provide fit recommendations powered by the demographics, fit preferences and buying behaviours of millions of global shoppers, and then enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI).
This data delivers high fidelity size and fit guidance to 100% of traffic, from zero click product size guidance for all traffic to personalised fit recommendations to shoppers who register and create a True Fit profile.
The partnership increased conversions resulting in a 2% uptick in site-wide revenue. APL also reports a 5% reduction in returns from shoppers leveraging True Fit.
The Very Group extends Kyndryl tie up as online retailer focuses on retail technology transformation
The Very Group has been working with Kyndryl to migrate applications to the public cloud. And the online retailer is now extending the agreement and moving over more applications.
Kyndryl will combine The Very Group’s core service management toolset with cloud native tooling and the implementation of Kyndryl Bridge and AIOps, enabling greater links between global teams.
It says that this process will “build an optimised, integrated service that is simple, flexible, automated, and delivered with velocity with improved service observability”.
Mercaux and Xiatech look to accelerate transformation of physical stores into omnichannel destinations
Mercaux, an omnichannel store platform specialist, has partnered with Xiatech, the company behind machine learning powered composable hyper-integration platform, Xfuze.
This will see Mercaux leverage Xfuze to accelerate the digital transformation of physical retail stores into omnichannel destinations by automatically connecting systems, unifying data and providing actionable insights staff need to successfully understand and provide hyper personalised omnichannel shopping experiences when it matters most to customers in-store.
Chin, chin! DoorDash and Aldi expand Stateside partnership to include on-demand alcohol delivery
“In addition to giving merchants a new way to reach customers, on-demand alcohol delivery helps partners grow their business. On DoorDash, adding alcohol may increase grocers’ average order value by up to 30%. Order values for US convenience orders were on average over 50% higher when alcohol was added,” says Fuad Hannon, Vice President of New Verticals at DoorDash.
“We’ve worked hard to build a trusted alcohol ordering and delivery experience. The expansion of our partnership with Aldi reinforces our commitment to provide growth opportunities for local merchants, while simultaneously providing a safe, high quality experience for customers.”
New and improved: Badger Technologies and Stop & Shop upgrade Marty the Robot at 300+ locations Stateside
Badger Technologies is working with Stop & Shop, an Ahold Delhaize USA company, to expand its use of Marty the Robot at more than 300 stores throughout the US Northeast.
The robot now conducts product checks to help ensure greater on-shelf availability for customers by alerting store associates when items need re-stocking. Marty also detects misplaced items while continuing the usual task of spotting potential floor hazards and spills.
Badger Technologies’ autonomous robots were rolled out at Stop & Shop stores starting in January 2019.
Online retailers trapped between keeping loyal customers and dwindling profits amidst rise of policy abusers
Online retailers trapped between keeping loyal customers and dwindling profits amidst rise of policy abusers
A new Riskified report reveals how consumer misuse of refunds, returns, and promotional programmes, alongside resellers, is forcing retailers and other merchants to strike a difficult balance between keeping customers and accepting an inevitable loss in profits.
This found that policy abuse behaviours such as excessive returns, refund scams such as claiming an item was not received or returning empty boxes, abusing promotions like coupon codes or loyalty programme rewards, or reselling limited inventory items, is soaring.
90% of online merchants believe policy abuse is a significant problem for their bottom lines.
New AI images and research released by SAP Emarsys offer up glimpse of future of UK retail
SAP Emarsys has released a series of pictures providing a glimpse into the future of UK retail. Produced via the generative AI platform Midjourney, these bring to life the results of a new study, exploring how UK shoppers will browse and buy with AI in future.
A survey of over 2,000 Brits found that:
21% would be open to letting AI define their fashion choices, deciding what looks best and purchasing clothing items on their behalf
22% want to use AI to shop for groceries, suggesting items that are running low in the kitchen
16% would go as far as to allow AI to select their meals for them, deciding not just what to buy and eat, but when to eat it.
18% would allow AI to guide their reading choices, making automated selections of new books to read
25% would be willing to let AI automatically select the best beauty products for them
26% would trust AI to curate and manage their morning skincare routines
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