Conversational AI servers and robot deliveries: running you through this 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 Oliver’s, Glovo, Amazon, Snapchat, Starship Technologies, Bolt, Sam’s Club, Wayvee Analytics, Coles Group, and Ocado Group.
Noble Macmillan
Live commerce startup Confer With has announced a new partnership with luxury British brand, Noble Macmillan.
In a LinkedIn post, Teresa Lawrence, Director at Confer With, said: “We're committed to delivering exceptional online experiences, and we’re excited to help elevate Noble Macmillan’s customer journey with our immersive live video shopping technology. Together, we'll bring the personal touch of in-store shopping to their online customers, providing expert advice and bespoke recommendations in real-time.”
Fellowes
Fellowes, which operates in the contract interiors space, is partnering with 3D Cloud, a specialist in 3D product visualisation and 3D digital asset management.
Through this collaboration, Fellowes aims to provide its dealers and independent sales representatives with 3D product configurators and immersive lifestyle imagery to drive more sales in the contract office furniture market.
"We needed a solution that would allow us to work faster and smarter," says Todd Holderness, GM, Contract Interiors at Fellowes. "With 3D Cloud, we're able to streamline the visualisation of complex modular products like never before."
"Configuring and selling modular walls is a significant challenge in our industry, but 3D Cloud makes it easier to manage that complexity," Holderness adds. “Their platform allows us to present our highly variable wall systems and office solutions in a way that's both engaging and efficient for our dealers and independent sales reps."
Amazon
Two new Amazon Just Walk Out stores have launched with Levy Restaurants at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers and Fever.
This is Amazon’s first technology replacement project as the company reports venues partnering with Just Walk Out technology as a long-term strategic partner for scale.
Oliver’s
Oliver’s, a healthy fast food firm that has 15 restaurants along the Australian east coast and Food To Go outlets at nearly 200 EG service stations nationwide, is laying claim to the country’s first true conversational AI server.
In a LinkedIn post, it said: “Our newest team member, Ollie, has been developed in partnership with Sodaclick and will be taking drive-thru orders at our Pheasants Nest Southbound store.”
“Ollie is set to enhance the drive-thru experience so our team can focus on creating nourishing healthy wholefoods and a memorable experience for our valued customers.”
Glovo
Spain-based multi-category delivery firm Glovo has updated its mobile app to include new social features and a video discovery wall.
Users can now connect with friends, share their top food picks, and discover new places together. They can see where their friends are ordering from and find hidden gems in their area.
It is also possible to save favourite restaurants and dishes with just a tap, creating personalised lists like "weekday dinners" or "office lunches." People will also soon be able to share their curated picks with friends and family.
The video discovery wall enables the exploration of dishes through dynamic, full screen videos that aim to bring food to life. Users can see what’s cooking at nearby restaurants and add their favourites to their cart directly from the video.
The updates are currently only available in Madrid and Barcelona, but will be rolling out to other places in the near future.
Daniel Alonso, Chief Product Officer at Glovo, says: “We’re going beyond the norm by becoming the first in the industry to combine social media elements within our platform. We’re excited to present this new and interactive way for users to discover, share, and engage with the products offered in our app. Users will be able to enjoy their favourite products like never before.”
Simbe
Simbe, the company behind the autonomous item scanning robot Tally, has launched Simbe Brand Insights, a solution that equips retailers’ vendor partners with near real-time shelf intelligence.
Retailers can use this to generate new revenue streams and increase ROI by converting the data Simbe collects into daily, actionable intelligence for vendors and manufacturers of all types, such as direct store delivery partners (DSD), consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, national brand manufacturers, and smaller brands represented by brokers and agencies.
This includes insights for their own brand(s) on SKU level shelf availability and out of stocks, precise item location, restocking and promotion execution and more, which vendors can use to improve inventory, product placement, pricing, shelf share, and the overall customer experience.
“For years, our retail partners have run their businesses with our platform’s item level data, and it’s become clear that this information also has immense value beyond store walls,” says Brad Bogolea, Simbe’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.
“By sharing store intelligence with vendors, Simbe Brand Insights puts the retail ecosystem on the same side of the table, leading to stronger relationships and performance across the board.”
Amazon
Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon executive, has taken to social media to discuss Project Jupiter.
This is an Amazon initiative focused on the creation of automated micro-fulfilment centres (MFC) that can be installed inside grocery stores, retail stores, and logistics facilities. MFCs hold inventory of retail products, and different types of robots pick products from them to fulfil online orders.
In a LinkedIn post, Ladd said: “MFCs are very important to Amazon. However, Covid disrupted the team responsible for building them, resulting in a pause of 2.5 years. Meanwhile, Amazon has been piloting an MFC from AutoStore and is in the process of installing a system from Fulfil inside a Whole Foods store.”
“What hasn't been previously reported is that Amazon has built a fully functioning MFC referred to internally as an LVM for local vending machine. It has created a HIVE-based MFC configuration that generates high pick rates and exceptional flexibility in terms of building MFCs that are 5,000 square feet or 50,000 square feet or more. LVMs do not have the same vertical limitations as AutoStore and other MFCs.”
Snapchat
Snapchat has launched an immersive high street experience, Snap Street, set to open in East London this October.
The Ely’s Yard building in Brick Lane will be transformed into an actual indoor high street with shop-fronts showing off the augmented reality (AR) experiences available on Snapchat - curated by brands like Depop, Boots, and Cosmopolitan.
Free to attend, and open for one weekend only (Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th October) Snap Street will imagine what a high street might look like in the future.
Depop will debut The Depop Claw Machine, offering visitors the chance to win some circular fashion, including streetwear, designer styles and exclusive Depop merch.
Visitors can also immerse themselves in the world of Depop using the Snapchat x Depop AR Mirror. From 12-2pm on Saturday, shoppers can get creative and make a free personalised phone charm with help from Depop seller @SantexSante.
Starship Technologies and Bolt
Starship Technologies and Bolt have announced the launch of a new food delivery service. As the first roll-out of the commercial partnership agreed between the two Estonian founded firms last year, this collaboration in Tallinn is pitched as the first of its kind in Europe.
Over 180,000 residents can now use an eco-friendly delivery option via the Bolt Food app from three Bolt Market stores in Tallinn. Robot deliveries will be free to customers during the launch period.
Ahti Heinla, Co-founder and CEO at Starship Technologies, comments: “We're thrilled to launch with Bolt today, bringing autonomous food delivery to even more customers in Tallinn.”
“This collaboration is not just about convenience and greater choice; by integrating our robots into the Bolt Food app, we're offering a sustainable, scalable last mile delivery solution that reduces local traffic and emissions. It's an exciting step forward for both companies as we continue to innovate and pave the way for greener cities across Europe.”
Deliveroo and wilko
Deliveroo and wilko, a home and garden retailer, are teaming up to give customers access to delivery of the latter’s products directly to their doors in as little as 25 minutes.
As the 90-year-old retailer continues its return to the high street, following a collapse into administration last year, with new stores across the country, the tie up will see more than 3,000 products made available on the platform spanning garden, home, kitchen, DIY, cleaning, petcare and storage.
Initially launching across ten wilko hub locations this month - Edinburgh, Bristol, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Eccles, Manchester, Bedford, Harlow, Plymouth and Leeds - this will be the first time the retailer has offered an on-demand, rapid delivery service.
The partnership will be expanded to a further 50 locations across the country by the end of the year.
føtex
Powered by AiFi technology, the checkout-free shopping location is open 24/7. This is the retailer’s first venture in to the autonomous stores space.
Customers check in with their payment card, take goods off the shelves and leave the store. Cameras in the ceiling register the purchase of goods.
Morten Møberg, Executive Vice President, Director at føtex, says: “There are already many customers who have stopped by during the "test week" and the store has received a lot of praise. There is a good reason for this.”
“The team has created a super store, and we can offer our customers a really wide selection with 1,500 items in just 120 sqm. But the most important thing of all is of course that it is super easy.”
Wayvee Analytics
Wayvee Analytics has emerged from stealth with $5 million in pre-seed funding led by Tetrad.vc.
By uniting radio frequency (RF) waves with proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, Wayvee’s technology anonymously analyses emotional responses based on physiological signals in real-time, evaluating customer satisfaction score (C-SAT) and key performance metrics for retailers.
After leading product development and launching several augmented reality (AR) campaigns for Shazam’s Eastern European division, CEO and founder Alex Ovcharov leveraged his neuroscience background in collaboration with developers and former CERN physicists to engineer an algorithm capable of detecting breathing rate and micro-movements using a standard WiFi router, ultimately leading to the development of a proprietary 4D radar device.
Wayvee not only measures C-SAT and other key engagement metrics instantly, it also identifies sources of dissatisfaction and offers actionable recommendations for improvement.
The technology analyses emotional responses based on physiological signals such as breathing, heart rate, and micro-movements, and directly correlates this data with customer satisfaction.
Coles Group and Ocado Group
Ocado’s second customer fulfilment centre (CFC) for Coles Group in Australia has officially opened.
This taps a blend of artificial intelligence, robotics and automation to improve the way orders are picked, packed and delivered.
Delivery times will also be improved, with Ocado’s technology giving Coles the ability to calculate the most efficient routes based on real-time conditions and tonnage of the home delivery vans.
Coles CEO Leah Weckert says: "This launch marks a significant transformation of our online grocery delivery service for New South Wales.”
“Across Victoria and New South Wales, we have already delivered more than 120,000 orders, the equivalent of 5.5 million products, with our customers getting near perfect orders with zero substitutions. This is an incredible result for our customers, and a testament to the world class Ocado technology."
Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club is gearing up to open a pilot frictionless store in Grapevine, Texas, its first activity in this space. Customers will shop and pay for purchases using Scan & Go, a feature of the Walmart owned retailer’s app.
This lets member use their mobile devices to scan items as they shop, complete payment and skip the checkout line. Sam’s Club has also been testing frictionless shopping via its Scan & Go app in an innovation lab store called Sam’s Club Now since 2018.
In place of checkouts, it will display large items with QR codes which customers can scan to obtain more information or purchase online for home delivery.
The store will also fulfill curbside and home delivery orders.
“It’s kind of the physical manifestation of a journey we’re trying to go on as a company,” Sam’s Club CEO Chris Nicholas told CNBC. “The idea is that over time, we will be 100% digital engagement as a business and you’ve got to prove that things work before you scale them.”
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