The Juice is loose on Roblox! RTIH rolls out the biggest retail technology news stories of the week
It’s Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail systems space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past five days, including B&Q, DPD, Walmart, Sainsbury’s, Instacart, Aldi, Asos, Microsoft, Lush, Ocado Retail, and Saks Off 5th.
1. DIY retailer B&Q hooks up with courier DPD to test out autonomous robot deliveries service in Milton Keynes
B&Q is trialling a robot delivery option in Milton Keynes with DPD.
Customers will be notified in advance about that their order (related to smaller parcels) being delivered. Once they confirm they will be home to accept the parcel, a robot will be dispatched.
The deliveries are trackable on a map and shoppers are notified when the robot reaches their property. They are then given a code to unlock a compartment and retrieve their parcel.
B&Q Supply and Logistics Director Amélie Gallichan-Todd says: “I am really proud of the work we’re doing to improve our fulfilment services to give our customers more choice of when and how their B&Q purchases are delivered.”
“We already offer different options including one-hour and 24-hour Click and Collect from our 300 stores, home delivery direct from 52 stores, and home delivery from our central distribution centres, as well as direct from drop-ship vendors.”
“Our aim is to give customers more choice of speed and location, while at the same time fulfilling our commitment to reduce our impact on the environment.”
2. Fei Wang departs Chief Technology Officer position at Saks Off 5th to recharge and embark on next chapter
Fei Wang has left Saks Off 5th where he served as Chief Technology Officer.
Saks Off 5th, formerly Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, is an American off-price department store chain founded in 1990, and a sister brand to the luxury department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue.
Prior to his time there, Wang spent almost 12 years at Amazon, where he held various positions, including Principal Engineer.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: “Today marked my last day at Saks Off 5th, where I have served for the past three years. I am deeply grateful to the leadership, business partners, and tech teams for their incredible support and collaboration.”
“Transitioning from a big tech company to embedding myself within a retail environment has been an enlightening journey. I have gained a profound understanding of how technology drives business growth, addresses enterprise pain points, and enhances the customer journey.”
He added: “I am particularly proud of what my team has achieved over the past three years.”
“From developing a robust data platform and a high performance native app to ensuring fast guaranteed delivery, global inventory availability, CDP, personalisation, marketing optimisation and customer engagement - the list goes on. Our collective efforts have significantly enhanced the customer experience.”
“As I take a small break to recharge, I am excited to embark on my next chapter. Stay tuned!”
3. The future of independent retail: Booker Group agrees rapid delivery partnership with Snappy Shopper
Booker Group, the wholesale distributor and subsidiary of Tesco, has teamed up with convenience Q-commerce firm Snappy Shopper to offer its retailers home delivery options.
Colm Johnson, Managing Director at Booker Group, says: “This partnership is a fantastic step forward, offering our retailers brilliant opportunities to grow. We’re committed to delivering the best choice, price, and service for our retailers.”
Greg Deacon, VP of Retail Media, Groups and Business Development at Snappy Shopper, says: “With nearly 70% of the UK now embracing rapid delivery, the Q-commerce market is booming.”
“The food category - especially snacking - is dominating, and we’re perfectly positioned to seize this momentum for massive growth.”
“Personally, I’m thrilled to see this partnership fuelling the future of independent retail with Booker. We’re uniting the holy trinity of wholesale, retail, and brand with Snappy, and it’s going to be a game-changer.”
4. Focus on Gen Z as Walmart goes live with No Boundaries private label launch in Discovered on Roblox platform
And on Monday, it officially went live.
No Boundaries is a recently revamped private label aimed at young adults.
“Refreshing our private brand portfolio is critical to our fashion strategy as we evolve our assortment to resonate not only with our core customers, but the next generation of Walmart shoppers,” said Jen Jackson Brown, Senior Vice President of Walmart US fashion brands, in June.
“There’s a huge opportunity for Walmart to reach a Gen Z customer with a brand that has both incredible style and unbelievable prices.”
“We have 145 million US customers shopping with us in stores and online each week, and the new No Boundaries brand is designed and marketed with intention to reach this young adult audience by focusing on fit, quality, style and fabrics that resonate with them.”
The launch in Walmart Discovered on Roblox enables users to shop and try on the retailer’s first UGC drop, featuring virtual versions of real-world No Boundaries items; the UGC have also been styled by a Roblox creator.
It’s possible to buy real-world No Boundaries items from three fashion trends and get a virtual item designed by Dioncella, a Roblox creator, for free
Users can also buy the first ever Animation Pack, a platform offering inspired by No Boundaries.
5. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie notches up a Roblox first as immersive platform tests out commerce
This includes an integrated virtual Fandango box office, where eligible users can purchase movie tickets - a first for the Roblox platform as it tests and invests in commerce.
[Beetlejuice] Escape the Afterlife was developed by Sawhorse and provides Warner Bros. the opportunity to expand its reach with new audiences and ways to increase content viewership, as well as drive ticket sales.
“We are always looking to engage audiences and amplify our reach in new and exciting ways; this first of its kind collaboration with Roblox and Fandango for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice allows for just that,” says Cameron Curtis, Executive VP of Marketing, Warner Bros.
“By leveraging the vast Roblox creator community, we are not only able to connect with existing Beetlejuice fans, but also have the opportunity to reach new audiences who are being introduced to him for the first time. And we are thrilled to be the first studio to test ticketing on the platform.”
“We are excited to collaborate with Warner Bros. and Roblox on this unique in-world experience and test the first ever virtual Fandango box office for the much anticipated Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie,” says Will McIntosh, Fandango President.
“We are champions of the big screen and remain committed to reaching new fans through innovative, one of a kind experiences that drive increased theatre attendance.”
6. Sainsbury’s expands long-term partnership with NCR Voyix as UK grocery giant upgrades checkout technology
Sainsbury’s has announced a seven-year agreement that expands the UK grocer’s more than 20-year strategic partnership with NCR Voyix.
Sainsbury’s is upgrading its checkout technology by rolling out the NCR Voyix Commerce Platform, Point of Sale solutions (PoS) and self-checkout systems to 22,500 checkouts across its supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations.
Leveraging NCR Voyix cloud technology, it says it will be able to help speed up the customer journey by receiving real-time data and analytics while harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) for sales analysis, estimating future store performance, colleague productivity and cash management.
The new platform will enable colleagues to approve transactions remotely via tablet, speeding up the checkout process and enhancing the shopping experience. Additionally, the self-checkout systems, powered by AI technologies, will deliver personalised promotions tailored to each customer.
Clodagh Moriarty, Chief Retail and Technology Director, says: “Our commitment to unbeatable quality food and great service, whether in store or online, is strengthened by NCR Voyix technology.”
“NCR Voyix has grown alongside Sainsbury’s for two decades, unlocking new capabilities and optimising product management, sales forecasting and store efficiencies. This is driving us to the next level and delivers for customers, colleagues and shareholders.”
7. Instacart announces first ever global launch of AI powered smart trolley Caper Carts with Aldi
Instacart and Aldi South Group are to expand their partnership globally.
This includes the roll-out of Instacart’s Connected Stores technologies across the retailer’s stores in the US, including In-Store mode and Carrot Tags, as well as fulfilment technology to power e-commerce orders.
And in a European first, Aldi South Group is testing Caper Carts in Austria, Instacart’s AI powered smart carts designed to ease the checkout process and personalise the shopping experience for customers.
Since 2017, Aldi has partnered with Instacart to provide same-day delivery for its customers in the US and will now deploy several Connected Stores technologies to further digitise its stores including:
In-Store mode: This helps customers see what’s in-stock, get important details about items on their list, sort items by aisle, and access in-store promotions and discounts through the Instacart app.
Carrot Tags: These have pick-to-light capabilities, meaning that Instacart shoppers can select an item on their phone and the corresponding shelf label will flash. Carrot Tags have launched in more than 100 Aldi stores in Illinois and Ohio and will roll-out nationwide in the coming months.
Pickup fulfilment technology: By leveraging the technology behind the Instacart Shopper app, Aldi South Group is streamlining fulfilment to power its e-commerce pickup orders.
Caper Carts: Customers can find the carts near the store entrance, start shopping by adding items directly into the cart, and keep an eye on their running total via the digital screen. Checkout is available through a “fast lane” if the customer is paying by card.
8. Fast fashion giant Asos extends relationship with Microsoft as it ramps up use of generative AI tools
Asos has signed a new AI related three-year agreement with Microsoft.
The online retailer is already tapping AI features integrated into Microsoft solutions.
This includes process automation through Power Automate; automated meeting summaries, notes, actions, and live translations through Teams Premium; and Microsoft Copilot, including Copilot for Microsoft 365 and Copilot for Github.
“A core part of our business strategy is driving operational excellence within Asos: making sure we’re as fast, efficient, and effective as we can be, and investing our time and resources in the projects that matter,” says Victoria Arden, Director of Technology Operations at Asos.
“Under this new agreement, we’re helping Asosers safely experiment with generative AI tools that can remove ‘busy work’ from their day, freeing them up to unlock greater creativity and insights and focus on delighting our customers.”
9. British cosmetics retailer Lush reopens Hull store after it is hit by ’shocking and heartbreaking’ racist rioting
Lush has reopened its store in Hull after it was vandalised and looted during rioting last weekend.
The city centre store suffered smashed front windows and products were stolen and left in the street as rioters carried out violent, racist attacks across several British cities and towns, one week on from the Southport stabbings.
In a LinkedIn post, dated 7th August, Kasey Swithenbank, Head of the UK&I Retail at Lush, said: “On Saturday evening I watched, live on social media, our Hull shop get broken into and looted. The scenes were shocking and heartbreaking!”
“Thankfully, the team had received advice earlier on the day to close the shop early and so thankfully all staff were safe at home.. I’ve spent the last few days with the team in Hull supporting where I can with the clean up and I’m beyond proud to say that we opened at 9am this morning.”
10. Online supermarket Ocado Retail launches its first reusable packaging pilot in partnership with the Refill Coalition
Ocado Retail says it has become the first major supermarket to pilot a new reusable packaging scheme, specially designed for online, in an effort to reduce the use of single-use packaging from customers' weekly shops.
The trial, staged across two phases, will use a reusable vessel, developed specifically to deliver food cupboard staples and laundry products at scale, with no extra cost to the customer.
Phase one, starting in August, will include Ocado Reuse Basmati Rice 2kg and Ocado Reuse Penne Pasta 1kg.
Phase two, coming later this year, will add Ocado Reuse Non-Bio-Liquid Detergent 3L and Ocado Reuse Skies Fabric Conditioner 3L to the trial.
The reusable container is pre-filled with product and delivered to customers alongside the rest of their Ocado shop.
Customers then return the empty container to their next driver. The containers are then collected from Ocado and hygienically washed before being filled again at the supplier. Each vessel replaces up to five single-use plastic items and is designed to be used over 60 times.
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