Looking back and looking ahead: RTIH rounds up its most read retail technology articles from December
These are the RTIH retail systems articles that caught your fancy during December, including Ecomtent, H&M Group, Voyado, Sitoo, Puma, Alibaba Group, Best Buy Ads Canada, Rokt, M&S, First Insight, and the AI in Retail Awards.
Ecomtent, a gen AI startup founded by former Amazon executive Max Sinclair, lands $1.4m in funding
Ecomtent, a generative AI startup focused on helping sellers and retailers with AI powered search, has secured $1.4 million in funding.
The round was led by MaRS IAF, and included Twinpath, Techstars x eBay Ventures, and C-suite angels from retailers and the tech industry.
Founded in 2022 by Max Sinclair, a former Amazon executive who led key initiatives such as the launch of Amazon in Singapore and Amazon Grocery across the EU, and Timur Luguev, a PhD and Postdoctoral Researcher in machine learning, Ecomtent's platform generates visual and written content optimised for AI powered search, such as Amazon’s RUFUS.
"The way people shop online is undergoing a profound transformation," says Sinclair. "And therefore also how sellers and retailers optimise for discoverability and conversion is changing. Longtail keyword matching is dead. The future lies in aligning with customer intent, across both written and visual assets."
Fashion giant H&M Group acquires minority ownership stake in Swedish retail tech platform Voyado
Omnichannel customer engagement specialist Voyado reports that H&M Group has acquired a minority ownership stake in the company.
Erik Lagerblad, Head of H&M Group Ventures, says: "We are really impressed by Voyado's journey so far. After rolling out their solution globally, we’ve seen firsthand the difference it makes in creating value at scale.”
“That's why it makes perfect sense for the H&M Group to deepen our partnership through an investment, which will further support Voyado's future growth and strengthen their offering for other enterprise customers.”
The company lays claims to significant market share across the Nordics and Benelux, and it is now focused on expanding into key markets such as the UK, and Germany.
Erica Sandelin Ekelund, CEO at Voyado, pictured below, says: "Our ambition is to establish Voyado as Northern Europe's most beloved retail tech companion while maintaining profitability and scalability. H&M Group's investment brings valuable insights and resources that align with our efforts to scale faster and expand into new segments, creating value for our existing and future customers.”
RTIH AI in Retail Awards celebrates technology innovation amid a digital transformation revolution
RTIH, organiser of the industry leading RTIH Innovation Awards, proudly brings you the first edition of the RTIH AI in Retail Awards, which is now open for entries.
As we witness a digital transformation revolution across all channels, AI tools are reshaping the omnichannel game, from personalising customer experiences to optimising inventory, uncovering insights into consumer behaviour, and enhancing the human element of retailers' businesses.
As AI sees increasing adoption in the retail space, our newly launched awards celebrate global technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world and the resulting benefits for retailers, shoppers and employees.
Our 2025 winners will be those companies who not only recognise the potential of AI, but also make it usable in everyday work - resulting in more efficiency and innovation in all areas.
Winners will be announced at an evening event at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 3rd July. This will kick off with a drinks reception in the stunning Conservatory, followed by a three course meal, and awards ceremony in the Garden Room.
Puma partners with Point of Sale and unified commerce specialist Sitoo and wraps UK stores roll-out
Puma has chosen Sitoo to power its stores globally and enable the provision of a unified shopping experience to customers.
The sports brand says that the move will bring all its stores together with one seamless global solution, with the aim of simplifying processes, integrating physical and digital commerce, and enabling store associates to provide the best possible customer service.
“Before choosing Sitoo, we conducted a comprehensive review of all available solutions in the market,” says Baris Bölükbasi, Senior Director Global Retail at Puma Group. “After an extensive evaluation, we concluded that Sitoo was the best choice for us. The roll-out in our UK stores has already delivered good results, confirming that Sitoo is the right partner to help us achieve our goals.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Puma, one of the most iconic and biggest brands in the world,” says Jens Levin, CEO and Co-Founder at Sitoo.
“This partnership and the trust it has placed in us, is a testament to the strength of our solution. We look forward to working together to shape the future of retail and create exceptional experiences for Puma’s customers around the globe.”
2024: the year of AI, reality checks, and physical stores claiming a new place in shoppers’ lives
As the Christmas and New Year break fast approaches, RTIH Founder and Editor, Scott Thompson, runs through his key retail tech related takeaways from a hugely eventful and fascinating 2024.
Includes AI, stores, omnichannel strategies, and grocery retail.
UK retailer Marks and Spencer expands First Insight tie up to include entire clothing and home business
First Insight is expanding its partnership with M&S.
Initially launched in 2015 with a focus on the lingerie category, the tie up now encompasses the retailer's entire Clothing & Home business, allowing it to boost customer engagement and brand perception across all categories.
"Our partnership with First Insight has supported our strategy to reshape for growth, as we maintain and extend our lead on quality and value and continue to drive style perceptions.” says Richard Price, Managing Director of Clothing & Home at M&S.
Best Buy Ads Canada taps Rokt machine learning and AI tech to power relevant messages from third-party brands
Rokt has announced a partnership with Best Buy Ads Canada.
Best Buy Ads Canada will use its technology to power relevant messages from third-party brands, whose products and services the company does not directly sell itself, on the confirmation page of the Best Buy Canada e-commerce site.
"Our partnership with Rokt gives us a new way to enhance the online customer experience by presenting shoppers with offers and messages that are relevant to them," says Tara Wilkinson, Director of Strategy, Best Buy Canada.
"Ad personalisation is critical to the online customer experience. Rokt's technology delivers superior ad engagement which speaks directly to relevance, and that's why we chose to partner with Rokt - their offering is refreshingly unique."
A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the team at Retail Technology Innovation Hub
We hope the year has been good to you.
2024 RTIH Innovation Awards winners announced, including Currys, Ikea, Clarks, Tesco, and Super-Pharm
Last month, we announced the winners from the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, CADS, 3D Cloud, SCALA, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Retail Technology Show 2025, and Business France.
Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”
He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”
“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”
Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended our 21st November gathering.
Alibaba International launches Pic Copilot AI powered e-commerce design tool tailored for SMEs in USA
Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group has announced the US launch of Pic Copilot, an artificial intelligence driven e-commerce design tool tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This features 12 tools aimed at making tasks such as swapping image backgrounds, perfecting images and videos, conducting virtual try-ons, and generating ads a hassle free experience.
Leveraging real-life e-commerce data from Alibaba International, Pic Copilot aims to improve product imagery and videos. The application of its first two versions revealed that SMEs and key opinion leaders prioritise graphics that drive sales rather than merely focusing on aesthetics.
The latest iteration of the model is built on 250 million parameters and utilises a data annotation method centred around sales metrics. By analysing how various background elements in images influence click-through rates across 240 product categories, the AI model has been trained not only on visual appeal but also to enhance sales performance.
The US launch introduces features such as virtual try-on tailored for multiple skin tones and body types, featuring more than 160 models across four major skin tones.
The platform allows users to upload personal images, enabling fashion entrepreneurs and KOLs to serve as models in their own product try-on photos. This feature eliminates the need of hiring professional models or conducting photoshoots.
Additionally, Pic Copilot has introduced US specific graphic theme templates tailored to national holidays and celebrations such as Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and St. Patrick’s Day.
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