When e-commerce giants collide: Check out our biggest retail technology articles on LinkedIn this week
We’re big fans of LinkedIn and are busy building an amazing community of retail tech enthusiasts on the social media platform. As we cross the 15,000 followers mark and head towards 20,000, these are the articles that are currently on their radars, including The SSE Arena, Belfast, Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, Kingfisher, Greenly, BigCommerce, Shopify, Currys, WelcoMe, Waitrose, WRAP, Worldpay, BT Group, Adyen, and Fabric.
The SSE Arena, Belfast achieves a checkout-free shopping first with Amazon Just Walk Out technology tie up
The SSE Arena, Belfast has announced a collaboration with Amazon to implement the US online giant’s Just Walk Out technology at the venue, making it the first indoor arena in Europe to offer checkout-free shopping.
This will be located on the first floor and named PAY & AWAY.
Guests will enter by using their chosen contactless payment method at the entry gate, with the technology then detecting what customers take from or return to the shelves and creating a virtual shopping session.
When they complete their shopping experience, they can leave without waiting in line, and their chosen payment method will be charged for the items taken.
B&Q and Screwfix owner Kingfisher taps GenAI as it builds data led omnichannel customer experience
Kingfisher, the owner of B&Q and Screwfix, this week announced full year results for FY23/24, with Tom Betts, Group Data Director, taking to social media to flag up progress being made on his side of the business.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: “Respect and congratulations to all teams contributing to these results. I am proud of the huge progress we've made together on building data capabilities as we "build a data led customer experience" under the Powered by Kingfisher strategy.”
He added: “We're using data and AI to drive top-line growth, streamline operations, strengthen margins and generate new income streams. This has required substantial collaboration between business, tech and data teams across group and our retail banners.”
The online gloves are off: BigCommerce CEO Brent Bellm slams “baseless” Shopify total cost of ownership claims
Brent Bellm, Chief Executive Officer at BigCommerce, has taken to social media to hit out at e-commerce rival Shopify.
Last week, the latter flagged up a study claiming that it has the best total cost of ownership in commerce.
“We are better value because where our competitors put their complexity onto the backs of their customers, we absorb complexity for you. Our product is intentionally designed to be easy to use, manage, customise, and deploy,” said Harley Finkelstein, President at Shopify.
“Shopify has better value, better product, better services - end of story. With us, you’ll move faster, operate better, and get the best converting checkout in the world. If you're not choosing Shopify... you are intentionally deciding to pay 36% more and get less.”
This did not sit well with Bellm.
In a LinkedIn post, published today, he slammed the company for making “more baseless claims against its competitors - this time related to total cost of ownership - without providing information or citing sources regarding their data sample sizes, methodology, TCO calculation details, or even which firm evaluated the data.”
Carbon accounting startup Greenly nabs $52 million Series B funding round led by Fidelity International Strategic Ventures
Greenly has announced a $52 million Series B funding round led by Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, two years after a $23 million Series A.
The startup says that the latest fundraising effort establishes it as a global leader in a market poised for massive adoption, spurred by new regulations like the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the recent US requirement for public companies to report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In addition to Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, the round pulled in new investors such as BGV (Benhamou Global Ventures), Move Capital, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HSBC, while existing partners like XAnge and Energy Impact Partners returned.
Brian Halligan, Co-Founder and Chairperson, HubSpot, also participated.
Leveraging generative AI, Greenly streamlines collection of large corporate datasets stemming from multiple softwares (Utilities, ERP, cloud, freight etc.), and automates analytics, using its own user-generated learning.
With 2,000 customers worldwide, it has been partnering with the likes of BNP Paribas, AXA, and L’Oreal, to promote decarbonisation across their wider ecosystem.
Currys teams with WelcoMe to launch pilot enhancing in-store accessibility for customers with disabilities
Currys has become the first tech retailer to partner with WelcoMe, with the aim of improving the shopping experience for customers with disabilities.
The partnership launches in conjunction with Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
A purpose built web app, the aforementioned platform works by allowing shoppers with a disability to register an in-person store visit, online.
Through filling out a quick form indicating any specific disability related needs or information, and an estimated date/time of arrival, stores are then notified of the upcoming visit giving them the opportunity to prepare for and accommodate any specific requirements etc.
The tool also gives retail partners access to pointers and best practice techniques to help accommodate anybody, specific to certain disabilities.
The trial will be piloted across 20 Currys stores around the Birmingham region, including: Birmingham Castle Vale, Birmingham Highgate, Birmingham Selly Oak, Burton, Cannock, Kidderminster, Leicester Fosse, Leicester St Georges, Loughborough, Merry Hill Retail Park, Shrewsbury, Solihull, Stafford, Stoke Festival Park, Stoke Longton, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Telford, Wednesbury J9 and Wolverhampton.
Worldpay 2024 Global Payments Report: Covid pandemic drives ‘monumental’ rise in digital wallets adoption
The report, which provides analysis of the payments landscape across 40 countries, indicates that by 2027, digital wallets are expected to comprise half of all e-commerce spend in the UK, worth £203.5 billion.
Projections also estimate that usage will more than double at UK PoS, rising from 14% to 29% of transaction value over the next three years. By 2027, this will represent £493 billion total transaction value.
Digital wallets emerged in the late 1990s, but it was the Covid-19 pandemic that provided the tipping point for adoption globally.
Pete Wickes, General Manager, EMEA at Worldpay, says: “Consumers are not just embracing digital wallets, they are driving a revolution in the payments landscape.”
“The combined effect of the pandemic, alongside digital wallet technology reaching a level of maturity and implementation in recent years has driven a monumental rise in adoption both globally and locally in the UK.”
“It is hard to deny the ease of use and convenience digital wallets provide whether shopping in-store or online. From this basis, merchants now have a huge opportunity to diversify their payments choice to meet customer needs."
Waitrose and WRAP tap eye tracking tech and behaviour change science to push loose produce benefits
This Food Waste Action Week (18th-24th March), Waitrose and WRAP trialled Point of Sale messaging to encourage more customers to buy fresh produce loose to cut household food waste, save money and reduce single use plastics and unnecessary packaging.
This took place in Waitrose’s Thatcham store near Reading, with eye tracking software monitoring shopping habits.
Catherine Loader, Sustainability Manager at Waitrose, says: "We are committed to supporting customers in buying what they need, and during Food Waste Action Week we’re running trials to understand how signage and customer communications influences purchase of loose fruit and veg.”
“This trial is part of a wider strategy and pledge to offer more loose fruit and veg in store, which also reduces plastic waste. We’re committed to helping our customers reduce household food waste, with over 100 lines now packaging free.”
“We look forward to sharing the results of the trials and continuing to help our customers choose what they’ll use."
Automated fulfilment firm Fabric hires grocery, pharmacy and mass merchandise veteran Curt Avallone as Co-CEO
Automated fulfilment solution specialist, Fabric, reports that Curt Avallone has joined it as Co-CEO. Avallone will be based in the United States as the company focuses on expanding its operations globally.
“I’m thrilled to be in a position to lead an organisation that offers the best-in-class solution for local eGrocery needs,” Avallone says.
“Fabric stands alone in the industry by providing automation solutions both purpose made for grocery fulfilment and customisable to accommodate a grocer’s uniquely complex needs.”
Sibstar named FinTech’s Pitch Winner at Pay360 for dementia focused debit card and app
Sibstar, a debit card and app for people living with dementia that has appeared on the Dragons Den TV show, has been unveiled as the winner of the FinTech’s Pitch Live 2024 competition, held last week at the Pay360 trade show in London.
BT Group and Adyen partnership enables small business customers to accept contactless payments via iPhones
BT Group’s digital and startup incubation arm, Etc., has announced a partnership with FinTech big hitter, Adyen, to enable small business customers to accept in-person contactless payments with Tap to Pay on iPhone.
This allows merchants to accept physical debit and credit cards, Apple Pay and other digital wallets, removing the need for card readers or extra hardware.
The BT Tap to Pay app has been created with input and feedback from small businesses, mobile workers and sole traders across the UK.
In addition to enabling in-person contactless payments, Tap to Pay on iPhone and the BT Tap to Pay app includes built-in security and privacy features, the ability to view payment history at a glance, and a simplified refund process.
The partnership combines EE’s connectivity with Adyen’s expertise in mobile payments. Businesses using the service will receive BT Group’s transaction rate of 1.4% on customer payments taken.
Pay360: Consumer desires at the payment checkout and how to optimise that part of the shopping journey
The ‘right’ way to checkout and payment options were debated by Tui and Lastminute.com in a keynote panel at the Pay360 trade show in London last week, alongside some research from PayPal showing what the consumer wants.
Including Bestseller, Leroy Merlin, and Kingfisher: 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 Storyblok, Mastercard, Mirakl, Shopify, Avery Dennison, Locally, objectsource, and Parcel Pending by Quadient.
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