Starring Tesco, Aldi, Wow Bao, and Shein: RTIH runs through April’s coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his stand out ‘future of retail’ systems deployments from April, including the metaverse, 3D solutions, live video shopping tech, automated warehouses, BORIS offerings, and unmanned, self-service 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.
Luxe Collective
Confer With has announced a partnership with pre-loved luxury industry specialist Luxe Collective.
In a LinkedIn post, Confer With said: “This partnership marks the fusion of live video shopping tech with the epitome of luxury fashion. Dive into a new era of online shopping at Luxe Collective.”
“Luxe Collective's customers can now enjoy a tailored one to one personal shopping experience, bringing the elegance of the store to your screen. 🚀 Join us on this glamorous journey as we bring innovation to the runway of online luxury. Stay stylish, stay innovative!”
Happy Returns, Shein, and Forever 21
UPS’ Happy Returns is powering Shein returns at Forever 21 stores in the US.
The company has introduced what is pitched as a first of its kind BORIS solution that enables enterprise retailers to accept box free, label free returns and exchanges across their full store network.
The system includes several software and reverse logistics components.
It can work with any returns portal, be it from Happy Returns or the retailer itself, to generate QR codes for shopper returns. Happy Returns also provides software that allows a store to receive and verify cross-brand returns.
Once a return is dropped off, Happy Returns can provide reverse logistics options to move inventory to its desired location.
Aldi
In partnership with Aldi, Grabango has launched Aldigo checkout-free shopping at a Chicago area grocery store.
Aldi lays claim to being the first major US grocery retailer to deploy checkout-free technology in an existing, full size store.
“The launch of Aldigo is a pivotal moment for the grocery industry,” says Will Glaser, CEO at Grabango.
“Although more challenging, it was important to us to launch this technology in a typical store and not one purpose built for us. Aldi is one of the most innovative retailers in the world, and we are honoured to partner with them to give their shoppers an exciting new way to shop the store.”
The Grabango system was added to an existing store without the need to make any changes to its planogram or product displays.
The technology, which uses computer vision to identify and keep track of every item in the store, allows shoppers to exit the store without waiting in line or scanning items.
Carrefour Belgium
Carrefour Belgium has opened a Carrefour Reeborn pop-up for second-hand items in the centre of Brussels.
In what the retailer is labelling a European first, people can use this to sell second-hand non-food items such as clothing, furniture, bicycles, and toys.
In doing so, they can collect Carrefour Bonus Points and use them to do their shopping in a Carrefour store of their choice. Said stores are also able to sell their surplus stock of new non-food products through Reeborn.
Further details here.
The pop-up will run from 18th April to 15th September, from Thursdays to Sundays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It can be found at Chaussée d'Ixelles, 313 in 1050 Ixelles
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.
Hugo Boss
Emperia has announced a new collaboration with Hugo Boss, the Boss House Bali virtual experience.
To promote the launch of its spring/summer 2024 collection, the company has opened the doors of the Boss House Bali to a select group of Hugo Boss Experience members, VIP customers, media, and key tastemakers from the Asia-Pacific region.
Taking over a villa on the island of Bali, built by architect Alexis Dornier, the physical activation is an immersive space that showcases the Boss lifestyle, from gourmet dining and cooking classes to wellness workshops and active adventures.
Coinciding with the opening, the brand is extending this to audiences worldwide, launching the virtual experience, developed by the Emperia platform, available globally on hugoboss.com.
The virtual world offers an opportunity to explore the Boss House Bali and shop for Boss products, namely items from the menswear, womenswear, and fragrance collections and additionally to book a physical stay at Boss House Bali.
There is also a gamification element, providing special discounts.
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.
Tesco
Eagle Eye has secured a one-year contract, with the option to renew for a further year, with Tesco for its AI powered Personalised Challenges solution.
This is a digital platform which allows retailers to personalise promotions, providing customised challenges designed to reward incremental behaviour.
In-built AI and deep machine learning facilitate hyper personalisation through its analytics capability, providing consumers with promotions more suited to them.
Following a trial, Tesco will roll-out Personalised Challenges to more Clubcard members in the coming months, under the name Clubcard Challenges. The solution will power personalised and gamified offers and promotions to each individual Clubcard member.
AI technology will give each customer a personalised challenge, which when completed, rewards people with extra Clubcard points. Customers can complete up to ten challenges, with a total of £50 worth of Clubcard points up for grabs during a six-week campaign, starting on 20th May.
Walmart
Walmart is now able to sell physical goods directly to users inside Roblox.
From this week, Walmart Discovered users will be able to have real-life items shipped directly to their doorsteps.
They will be greeted with a new storefront showcasing virtual twins of select items sold at physical Walmart stores. The feature will be gated specifically to users aged 13 or older in the United States only.
“There is a traditional sort of checkout flow where you put your name, your address and your credit card information, and that’s all powered by a Walmart API that handles all of the information super securely - it’s very safe,” Walmart Director of Brand Experiences and Strategic Partnerships Justin Breton, told Digiday.
“And once you hit checkout, you’ll get your confirmation email from Walmart. All of that is handled by us on the back end, the user will then get their item in the mail, but the virtual twin is granted immediately back on Roblox.”
A pilot will run through the month of May, during which time Roblox will not receive a cut of item sales, with all revenues going directly to Walmart. The short-term aim here is to gauge users’ willingness to purchase physical goods on the platform.
“We are excited to start testing real-world commerce as a key step towards enabling it in the future for our community of creators and brands,” said Roblox VP of Economy Enrico D’Angelo.
“Shopping for virtual items is already an important element of how people engage and express themselves on Roblox daily, so our goal is to gather feedback, test the technology and learn what resonates with Gen Z customers the most when it comes to shopping for physical items.”
Best Buy
Best Buy has launched Envision, an app designed by the retailer’s team exclusively for the Apple Vision Pro that helps users plan their ultimate home technology setup.
This uses augmented reality to let people preview 3D models of some of their favourite products.
That means while wearing Apple Vision Pro, they can see 3D images of how a variety of different products will look and feel in their space before they buy them. It includes big screen TVs, large and small appliances, fitness equipment, and furniture.
Shoppers can put on their Vision Pro, open the Envision app and scroll through hundreds of options to see them appear digitally in their physical space.
Once they find the right option, they can access product ratings and pricing, send the product directly to a friend through text/email, or open the product page within the Vision Pro Safari app to make their purchase online.
“Best Buy Envision is another way we’re utilising innovative technology to humanise consumer electronics like no one can,” says Brian Tilzer, Chief Digital, Analytics and Technology Officer at Best Buy.
“The app allows our customers to see, in a lifelike way, how technology will look and feel right in their own homes, delivering an immersive and personalised shopping experience.”
Rohlik Group
European e-commerce grocery delivery firm Rohlik Group has gone live with Knuspr.de in Berlin, Germany, powered by an automated warehouse and AutoStore technology.
This is part of its plan to reach €10 billion in revenue by 2030 and to expand into 15 additional German cities.
The service reaches across the entire Berlin area, extending to neighbouring Potsdam and parts of Brandenburg, and operates from a Schönefeld distribution centre.
"In my experience in the online grocery industry, it is only a true leader who can transition a brand, automate a warehouse and launch with a large SKU range in four months,” says Vineta Bajaj, Group CFO at Rohlik Group, and formerly of Ocado Group.
“I'm extremely proud of what Rohlik Group is doing as a business, and excited about our future.”
Rimi Baltic Group
Rimi has opened its first unmanned, self-service store in the Baltic.
This is situated in Tallinn (the capital of Estonia) in the Noblessner district located by the seaside.
The pilot project lays the foundation for a possible round the clock shopping experience. The Rimi Express store is a 32 square metre, environmentally friendly wooden building.
Kristel Mets, CMD at Rimi Estonia, calls it a “completely new approach in terms of both technical solutions and customer experience.”
She says: “We chose the Noblessner area, which, with its modern and innovative atmosphere, is the perfect place to test a new store. Here we get a good experience on how to offer a shopping opportunity to both locals and tourists and a large number of people simultaneously during major summer events.”
“We thank everyone who has contributed to implementing this pilot project, and we look forward to the customers' first impressions and feedback."
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