Including FreedomPay, Harley, and Pricer: 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 head towards the 20,000 followers mark, these are the articles that are currently on their radars, including Asda, Voyado, Zippin, Ship Essential, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Vista Technology Support, Wincanton, and AssetFloow.

Asda hails Harley real-time AI solution as ‘future of how people are going to interact with data’

Harley, a London-based company developing a real-time generative AI (GenAI) platform for data driven decision-making, reports a successful proof of concept delivered with Asda.

Harley's platform provides Asda's leadership with live, actionable insights, enabling executives to make quicker and more informed decisions.

Simon Jury, VP of Data & Analytics at Asda, says: "Harley's real-time AI solution is the future of how people are going to interact with data.”

“By integrating into Asda’s data ecosystem, the collaboration unlocks new levels of operational agility through rapid data driven decision-making, setting a new standard within the retail industry."

“Harley’s engine offers rapid insights into your data, helping influence the highest-level decisions within an organisation,” says Alex Banks, Co-Founder and CEO at Harley.

“This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to redefining retail excellence, proving that the right data at the right time can be a game-changer in how businesses respond to market dynamics.”

“We look forward to working alongside Asda, where I’m confident data driven insights become the cornerstone of competitive advantage in this fast changing sector.”

Retail technology platform Voyado partners with Ellis Brigham to enhance online customer experience

Voyado has partnered with outdoor sports retailer, Ellis Brigham, to help bring its online customer experience in line with the service customers experience in-store.

Known for stocking outdoor and ski apparel and equipment, the in-store Ellis Brigham team provide specialist advice to customers, something that is more of a challenge with online shopping.

Ellis Brigham is seeking to bridge this communication gap online, working with Voyado to unlock customer data, bring all systems together and communicate with customers more effectively.

Pricer research: increasing numbers of UK consumers limiting their spending to goods on promotion

Research of over 1,000 UK shoppers by Pricer shows 27% now only buy grocery items which are on offer – a +6 percentage increase compared to 2023. 

This, Pricer suggests, shows that, despite inflation starting to ease, both pricing- and promotions-sensitivity continues to remain high among consumers. 

Younger demographics were more likely to exclusively buy items on promotion, with Millennials saying that 47% of all the food they buy is on offer, while 37% of Gen Z’s shopping baskets consist of promotional or marked down produce.

Big 5 Sporting Goods taps FreedomPay commerce platform to boost customer experience across its US stores

Big 5 Sporting Goods is joining FreedomPay’s platform as it looks to bring enhanced commerce security and capabilities to its 424 stores across the United States.

“Big 5 is excited to start this new partnership with FreedomPay,” says Michael Shinagawa, CIO  & SVP, IT at Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp.

“This collaboration will allow us to continue our commitment to providing exceptional value and service to its customers.”

The tie up aims to give customers a fast, frictionless, and secure checkout experience in-store, enhanced by FreedomPay’s data driven platform to enable loyalty and incentives.

“Together, FreedomPay and Big 5 Sporting Goods are creating a more seamless customer experience,” says Nate Ware, SVP Sales & Digital Development at FreedomPay.

“FreedomPay is tapped by the top retail brands around the world to transform payments and we’re excited to partner with Big 5 Sporting Goods to bring a next level experience to their customers.”

Ship Essential signs lifestyle clothing brand Madhappy as it takes wraps off West Coast fulfilment centre in US

Local fulfilment company, Ship Essential, has announced the opening of its downtown LA fulfilment centre. 

The 36,403 square foot space is located at 2535 East 12th Street in the heart of the Arts District within The Box Yard DTLA. Ship Essential, which is founded in 2020 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. has signed lifestyle clothing brand Madhappy to anchor the West Coast expansion.

“We are pumped to lead the urban fulfilment movement and what better location to tap into fashion and retail than downtown LA,” says David J. Sitt, Ship Essential founder.

“With hubs on both coasts, we can offer brands reduced shipping rates  while maintaining our high touch edge over commodity based competitors.”

Vista Technology Support CEO James Pepper discusses whirlwind start to the year for retail technology specialist

Vista Technology Support CEO James Pepper has taken to social media to discuss an eventful start to 2024.

Established in 1995, Vista Technology Support is a UK and Ireland-based independent provider of technology services in retail, hospitality, and pharmacy.

It manages the full technology life cycle for its clients, specialising in delivering technology transformation projects and providing ongoing remote and onsite support.

And it lays claim to being the only genuine end-to-end IT deployment and support service across the UK and Ireland, where all its services are delivered by its own people.

In a LinkedIn post, Pepper said: “Wow, where has the first five months of 2024 gone? It's been a whirlwind start to the year and the entire Vista team have been working behind the scenes on some incredibly innovative tech developments that are designed solely with the customer in mind.”

Barclays Center focuses on frictionless shopping with grand reopening of Zippin powered Brooklyn Boardwalk store

Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty, has relaunched one of its five Zippin powered stores.

The Grab & Go store on the arena’s main concourse is now the Brooklyn Boardwalk.

This reopened to guests beginning with the New York Liberty’s home opener on Saturday, 18th May.

Unique to Brooklyn Boardwalk are new counters for guests to purchase fresh, hot popcorn - the only Zippin powered store in the arena to sell popcorn in addition to beverages.

BSE Global, parent company of Barclays Center, managed and executed the project, including the installation of Zippin equipment for the popcorn counters. Zippin offered consultation, remote support and system testing prior to go-live.

Wincanton taps AssetFloow technology to optimise inventory management and improve demand forecasting

AssetFloow, a Portuguese company specialising in behaviorial and predictive artificial intelligence, has announced a collaboration with Wincanton, a logistics and supply chain management firm in the UK.

AssetFloow, which was founded in 2021, develops solutions that analyse and predict behaviours and consumption patterns, helping companies make informed decisions and plan with greater accuracy.

Through the tie up, Wincanton will tap AssetFloow's analytics to optimise inventory management, improve demand forecasting, and increase the efficiency of logistics operations.

"We believe that our behaviorial and predictive AI technology will bring a new era of efficiency and predictability to logistics, enabling Wincanton to offer even more reliable and customer centric services," says Katya Ivanova Santos, CEO at AssetFloow.

"This collaboration represents an important step in our mission to provide AI solutions that create real value for businesses.”

Customer engagement and commerce media firm Reward appoints Paul Jones as Data & Insights lead

Reward, a specialist in customer engagement and commerce media, has announced the appointment of Paul Jones to spearhead and scale the business’ insights proposition.

He steps into the new role of SVP of Data & Insights, bringing expertise in the insights and analytics space.

With more than 12 years of experience in senior data leadership positions, Jones has supported strategic growth in industries such as retail, insurance and travel, with notable companies including Royal Mail, Emirates and Etihad Airways.

Toronto Pearson makes history with first launch of Amazon Just Walk Out technology store in an airport in Canada

Paradies Lagardère’s new Amazon Just Walk Out technology powered store, The Goods Express, is now open in Toronto Pearson Terminal 1 by gate D22. 

Passengers can access the store once they have passed security.

Teaming up with ARHT Media, the location also features interactive holographic displays.

The Goods Express is the first retail store using Amazon’s Just Walk Out tech in a Canadian airport.

Customers swipe their credit card  or mobile wallet to enter, take the items they wish to purchase, and upon exit, their credit card will automatically be charged for the items purchased, free of any lineups.