Starring ICA, Wow Bao, Wolt, and Intergamma: RTIH pulls together 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 the metaverse, sustainability reports, generative AI, retail media platforms, robotic technology, and autonomous stores.
3D Cloud by Marxent
3D Cloud by Marxent, a specialist in 3D product visualisation and 3D digital asset management for DIY and furniture, has rustled up an innovation that, it promises, will revolutionise how furniture retailers and manufacturers create product visuals.
“The feedback we heard from furniture retailers and manufacturers was that they wanted alternatives to CGI for product imagery. Traditional product photography and professional-grade renders are complex, expensive, and time-consuming,” says Beck Besecker, CEO and Co-Founder at 3D Cloud by Marxent.
“This new solution offers a method of producing exceptional product visuals efficiently and at scale without having to hire or outsource.”
Check out this video showing how it works.
Patagonia
Patagonia has opened its first store in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam, designed to serve as both a retail store and a space for local activist and sports communities.
This will offer technical products for outdoor sports, including climbing, snow sports, and trail running.
It will host regular community events such as repair workshops, film screenings and public talks.
Founded in Ventura, California, by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, with a commitment to environmental activism, the outdoor apparel retailer has 12 stores and is stocked in specialty outdoor dealers across Europe.
The Amsterdam location stands on the former site of the RoXY Club, which played a pivotal role in the city’s house and techno culture of the 1990s and was known for extravagant, multidisciplinary performances.
JD.com
Chinese e-commerce giant, JD.com, has announced an investment of one billion yuan in cash incentives aimed at attracting a wider pool of video content creators and institutions to its platform.
It says that the move confirms its commitment to leveraging short videos and live streams in innovating the online shopping journey for its users and providing brand merchants with novel avenues for growth.
For individual content creators, the platform offers cash subsidies across more than 20 product categories, including electronics, home appliances, fashion, and health.
Creators who meet the platform’s recruitment criteria can receive weekly bonuses of up to 30,000 yuan, alongside additional incentives such as video playback subsidies and sales commissions.
On the institutional front, JD has established a separate five-million-yuan incentive programme. Institutions that successfully onboard a significant number of influencers will receive monthly cash subsidies.
JD will also provide one-on-one guidance and support.
ICA
Swedish grocery retailer, ICA, has partnered with Cleveron, a specialist in robotics-based parcel handover solutions.
ICA is using Cleveron’s technology to automate manual pick-up points in its stores.
A pilot project between the pair finished in April 2022, and by the start of 2024, the companies had automated 75 in-store pick-up points. Customers can use these to have their third-party parcels delivered to an ICA store of their choosing.
Cleveron board member Ott Pabut says: “We are thrilled to collaborate with ICA, a leader in the Swedish grocery sector, to redefine the parcel delivery landscape.”
“Our innovative robotic technology, integrated into ICA's network, is not just about automation; it's about revolutionising customer service and store operations.”
“This partnership is a leap forward in our mission to make parcel handover more efficient, customer-friendly, and sustainable. It's an exciting era for retail logistics, and together with ICA, we are setting new benchmarks in the industry."
The New Jersey Devils, Prudential Center, Verizon, and AiFi
The New Jersey Devils, Prudential Center, and Verizon have announced a multi-year extension of their partnership.
This will involve Verizon deploying Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband, Verizon Private 5G Network and Wi-Fi 6/6E to give Prudential Center the ability to host a wide range of large scale events, concerts and games with a more efficient and reliable network and fast connectivity.
This will also change the way fans experience games and live events in the arena and through the Devils and Prudential Center mobile app, powered by Verizon.
Combining 5G with computer vision technology from AiFi, the Prudential Center is also unveiling new cashierless checkout stores.
Working with Prudential Center hospitality partner Levy, the Pepsi Grab N Go stores located throughout the arena were designed to provide fans with a low friction way to purchase food and drinks.
One opened during the 2023-24 season, the first in New Jersey to offer packaged beer, with transaction times under one minute.
Greggs
Greggs has published its fourth annual sustainability report, which outlines the progress made towards its 2025 green targets and sets out key focus areas for the year ahead.
Three-years into a five-year sustainability plan, Greggs says that it has made significant progress on its ten commitments and has reached the following key milestones:
· 896 Greggs Foundation Breakfast Clubs now open, feeding over 62,000 children every school day
· Almost £650,000 of Greggs Outlet profits donated to the Greggs Foundation Community Grant programme to distribute to communities in need
· 97.1% of electricity usage across all operations came from renewable sources
· Maintained over 30% of range as ‘Healthier Choice’ products
· Over 500 shops (21% of the estate) feature Eco-Shop elements
· Published Ethnicity Pay Gap Report
Wolt
Wolt has announced the launch of its own advertising service, Wolt Ads.
Following a beta period, the company is now looking to scale this across its 27 markets.
“We’re delighted to be able to introduce Wolt Ads to more partners. Over the past months, we’ve seen our partners record significant growth in their sales and return on advertising spend,” says Catalina Salazar, Global Head at Wolt Ads.
“While it’s still very early for us in this area, the initial results and feedback from our partners are extremely encouraging and give us confidence that we’re on the right track.”
Wolt, which was acquired by DoorDash in 2022, currently has over 36 million registered users across 27 markets and over 500 cities.
Best Buy
Best Buy, Google Cloud, and Accenture have announced a new collaboration that will involve deploying generative AI (genAI) to improve the experience for the former’s customers looking for support services.
By leveraging Google Cloud's generative AI technology, Best Buy says that it is creating new and more convenient ways for customers to get the solutions they need.
This work will provide customers a self-service option, allowing them to find solutions more independently and will also allow Best Buy customer service agents to better serve customers by providing them with new tools that make interactions more efficient and personalised.
It is anticipated that Best Buy's US customers will be able to connect with a genAI powered virtual assistant for self-service support starting in late summer.
The assistant can help with things like troubleshooting product issues, rescheduling or combining order deliveries, or managing software, Geek Squad subscriptions and My Best Buy Memberships.
Customers will be able to access all of these services while shopping on BestBuy.com, using the retailer’s mobile app, or calling the customer service line directly.
M&S
Gophr, Diamond Logistics Birmingham and Charging Angels
Same-day delivery service Gophr and Diamond Logistics Birmingham have partnered with Charging Angels, a provider of laptop power chargers.
The latter is leveraging Gophr's nationwide courier network and Diamond Logistics' Birmingham Despatchlab technology to offer urgent charger deliveries to customers in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and beyond - mirroring services already seen in London and Reading.
Charging Angels is an authorised reseller for brands such as Dell, HP, Microsoft, Lenovo, and Targus.
With Gophr's Shopify integration, its customers can order chargers on its Shopify store and receive Gophr's same-day delivery option.
W23 Global
Ahold Delhaize, Tesco, Woolworths Group, Empire Company/Sobeys, and Shoprite Group, have teamed up to establish a venture capital fund, W23 Global, which will seek to invest in innovative startups and scaleups that deploy technology to enhance customer experiences, transform the grocery value chain and address the sector’s sustainability challenges.
Each retailer is an equal funder and partner in the initiative, while their CEOs will sit on the investment committee.
W23 Global CEO and Chief Investment Officer, Ingrid Maes, says: "W23 is a potentially game-changing international VC fund with a powerful proposition for both our investors and portfolio companies.”
“We aim to offer our investors incomparable access to transformative innovation in grocery and sustainability worldwide.”
“W23 Global will work with its investors to identify common unaddressed challenges and support entrepreneurs to develop solutions, offering faster pathways to global scale for portfolio companies.”
“With leading grocery CEOs on our investment committee, founders can rapidly develop ideas based on an accelerated understanding of retailers’ needs.”
AiFi and GS Draft System Solutions
AiFi has partnered with GS Draft System Solutions to launch a frictionless shopping Michelob Ultra Grill Market at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
People are able to pour and pay for fresh draft beers, via self-serve TapWalls, as well as grab hot food items, candy, and packaged snacks without having to wait in line.
"Stadiums and large live event venues are the perfect setting for autonomous retail, and AiFi is proud to play a part in shaping the fan's enjoyment while in attendance," says Steve Carlin, CEO at AiFi.
"As live events continue to garner larger and larger crowds, we're helping stadiums and retailers embrace tech forward solutions that help fans minimise the time in concessions and merchandise lines to get them back to the action faster.”
“This new autonomous drink lane and market is just the latest example of how our flexible technology solution is leading that charge and our commitment to improving the fan experience."
Intergamma
Intergamma, a Dutch owner of two hardware store chains, Gamma and Karwei, is testing out a robot that interacts with electronic shelf labels and taps AI to analyse shelf inventories.
In a LinkedIn post, Jurre Mulder, Executive Board, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Intergamma, said “What a joy - my weekly store visit - work becomes truly exiting when we collaborate with teams to experiment with innovations.”
“As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a “smart store” experience, we’re constantly exploring ways to apply technology that benefits both our customers and employees, making their experience each day a little better.”
He added: “One of our recent endeavours involves testing a robot. This intelligent bot interacts with the ESLs and leverages artificial intelligence to analyse shelf inventories.”
“Why is this important? By harnessing technology within our ecosystem, we can optimise shelf product availability and are also envisioning multiple use cases to build upon for the future.”
Wow Bao
Wow Bao has announced a full integration of its Hot Buns Club rewards programme in the metaverse.
In doing so, it lays claim to being the first fast casual restaurant to integrate a rewards programme and in real life perks in the metaverse.
US-based Roblox players who visit its virtual experience, Dim Sum Palace, can search for clues to unlock a free Bao themed head UGC accessory, free Wow Bao product, and a chance to win Wow Bao for a year.
After they join the Hot Buns Club to claim the limited supply UGC items, they will receive a link via email for a free box of Wow Bao at their local grocer and be enrolled for a chance to win free bao for a year.
Additionally, as a member of the Hot Buns Club they are eligible for exclusive rewards and benefits.
Batch LDN
Tokyo, Japan-based sizing technology specialist, Makip, has announced its first UK customer, independent fashion brand, Batch LDN.
Batch LDN was founded by fashion entrepreneurs Sam Matanle and Julian Osborne in 2022 to provide affordable casual suits, tackle fast fashion and promote sustainable garment production.
Its online shoppers are now using Makip’s Unisize technology, which helps them to ‘try on’ and purchase the most suitable and perfectly fitting suits with confidence on their first attempt.
ZATAP and FC St.Gallen 1879
ZATAP has teamed up with the First Division Swiss football club, FC St.Gallen 1879, to introduce a "ticketing scarf" to its season ticket holders.
This allows them to enter the club’s stadium using their scarf as their ticket. ZATAP recently took the idea further, adding a gamification feature.
Ticket holders can now earn points for various activities, including entering the stadium with their scarf and adding merchandise to their collection via the ZATAP app.
Shopsense AI and Paramount Global
Shopsense AI has launched an AI powered retail media platform, with Paramount Global as its inaugural partner.
Shopsense says that its patent pending technology unlocks new advertising and incremental revenue opportunities for broadcast and streaming networks by making content seamlessly shoppable within their own apps and e-commerce sites.
Paramount Global debuted the new mobile shopping experience during the CMT Music Awards red carpet pre-show coverage airing on CMT on Sunday, 7th April. The live CMT Music Awards aired on CBS and Paramount+ directly following the red carpet coverage.
“Paramount’s premium entertainment content consistently influences consumer shopping journeys,” says John Halley, President at Paramount Advertising.
“TV is no longer just a top-of-the-funnel awareness generator. It is a 1:1 vehicle that brings the full funnel to the living room. We’re thrilled to launch with the Shopsense AI platform at the CMT Music Awards to capitalise on fandom and see it expressed through commerce.”
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