Fanatics goes racing and Waitrose taps ESLs: last week’s biggest technology plays at a glance

RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Build-A-Bear Workshop, Sensei, M&S, Ocula Technologies, CeX, Wickes, Instacart, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Nedap, shoezone, Walgreens, Rokt, Schnuck Markets, Shopify, Coborn’s, and Revionics.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

Nedap’s iD Cloud platform is being implemented across numerous Abercrombie & Fitch stores in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and the Asia-Pacific region (APAC).

Following a 15-store pilot, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A&F Co.) began deploying the iD Cloud Store solution in June, with full implementation scheduled to be completed later this month. The roll-out is part of a move to improve omnichannel fulfillment, inventory accuracy and on-shelf product availability.

“Inventory visibility is crucial to serving our customers seamlessly, both digitally and in-store,” says Lauren Morr, Senior Vice President of Digital Operations at Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

“We chose Nedap not only for their innovative and advanced technology, but also because of the dedicated expertise within their iD Cloud community. The partnership enables us to optimise our operations with increased inventory accuracy and visibility.”

Fanatics and Max Verstappen

Fanatics and four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen have announced an exclusive multi-year global partnership focused on e-commerce, licensed sports merchandise and trading cards - the latter including autographs, inscriptions and race worn relics.

Fans around the world will be able to collect exclusive Verstappen trading cards and also shop for merchandise at a new global online Verstappen store, launching in early 2026.

Verstappen will become the first active athlete to partner with Fanatics Commerce to open a global online store and will provide fans worldwide with faster access to  products and real-time, on-demand items tied to milestone performances and major race moments. 

Fanatics will launch a new global e-commerce destination at Verstappen.com with rights to design, manufacture and distribute a range of officially licensed Verstappen merchandise, including apparel, headwear, accessories and special product drops. 

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Build-A-Bear Workshop has teamed up with Uber Direct, Uber’s white label delivery service, to bring on demand delivery to UK customers this festive season. Shoppers can receive Build-A-Bear teddy bears and other plush toys from 33 stores nationwide on the day they order, with a scheduled delivery slot.

This builds on a tie up in the US, where customers get same-day delivery through Uber’s network of couriers.

Colleen Draper, Retail and Operations Director Europe at Build-A-Bear Workshop, says: “We’re all about adding a little more heart to life for families and their loved ones - but we know that not everyone can visit a store, especially during the festive frenzy.”

“By partnering with Uber Direct, we’re making it easier for rushed shoppers to get their hands on meaningful gifts when they are needed most. This reflects our focus on accessibility, emotional connection and meeting guests’ needs wherever they are.”

Heineken

Heineken has launched new WhatsApp technology pitched at those who’d prefer to meet up and connect face to face. This has gone live as a pilot in Brazil, with further markets set to follow.

The tech was devised after global research polling 14,000 respondents showed that in just one year, the average person spends almost 150 hours a year sending and receiving voice notes.

52% of those polled feel voice notes are replacing IRL interactions, rising to 60% amongst Gen Z. 49%, meanwhile, admit to spending entire evenings sending voice notes to a friend instead of meeting in-person, even though 54% say they have their most fulfilling conversations face-to-face.

“Our data suggests that voice notes are not just growing in frequency but also length. With nearly 9.5 billion voice notes sent daily on WhatsApp alone (compared to seven billion in 2022), it’s evident that voice messaging is reshaping the way we communicate across the globe and taking on a more prominent role alongside traditional in-person interactions,” says Stacy Jo Dixon, Social Media and Society Expert at Statista.

Jysk

GTT Communications, a networking and security as a service provider, has announced a partnership with home furnishing retailer Jysk.

This is pitched as an essential step in Jysk’s digital transformation, creating a high performance network built on GTT’s global tier 1 backbone and WAN capabilities.

The solution combines ethernet and cloud connect services with the aim of delivering secure, low latency connectivity across stores, warehouses and cloud environments, supporting the retailer’s unified commerce strategy through its ongoing roll-out of a single omnichannel platform connecting stores, e-commerce, customer service centers and delivery operations across the globe.  

Jysk, part of the family owned Lars Larsen Group, has grown its footprint to operate more than 3,600 stores and web shops across 50 countries, with further expansion planned. To underpin this, the company is investing more than DKK 2 billion in IT infrastructure, connectivity and cloud initiatives over the coming years.

Uber Eats and Starship Technologies

Uber Eats and Starship Technologies are launching autonomous robot deliveries in Leeds.

A fleet of green robots will help to deliver winter warmer meals and festive essentials for locals in the Headingley, Burley and Hyde Park areas of the city in December and beyond. 

“It’s brilliant to see autonomous innovation supporting one of our busiest times of year,” says Saskia de Jongh, EMEA General Manager at Uber.

“It’s so exciting that our new global partnership with Starship Technologies will first launch in Leeds, meaning we can offer local customers a fast new way to get what they need delivered - whether that’s a piping hot Pad Thai or party food essentials.”

Starship’s battery powered robots travel mainly on pavements. They have saved over 700 tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere in Europe so far, according to Starship, with the average delivery using as little energy as it takes to boil a kettle for a cup of tea.

“We’re incredibly excited to be one of the first restaurants in Leeds to use Starship’s innovative delivery robots with Uber Eats, yet another exciting new adventure in the twenty years we’ve been running our restaurant,” says Mark Burnard, Co-owner of Jino's Thai Cafe in Leeds.

“It’s a fantastic way to keep up with the demand for our much loved dishes, especially our classic Pad Thai and any festive specials we roll out this winter. This cutting-edge technology will help us keep delivering more fresh, hot meals to our loyal customers.”

Sensei

Sensei reports that it is equipping what is pitched as the first 100% autonomous healthcare store in Europe.

Located in Parque das Nações, in Lisbon, the new Pharma&Go store is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

With 90 m² and a grab and go model, shoppers can check in with a bank card at the entrance and move freely around the space, which is organised like a conventional store.

The technology implemented, based on artificial intelligence and computer vision, operates without personal cameras, biometric identification or the collection of data that could compromise privacy. Products taken from the shelves are identified in real-time, as is the automatic updating of each customer’s digital basket. Upon exit, the amount is charged to the card, with no need to use a checkout.

“The opening of the first 100% autonomous healthcare store in Europe shows how artificial intelligence and computer vision can transform entire sectors, creating faster, more convenient and safer ways to shop. For Sensei, it is an important milestone to apply this technology to a segment as sensitive as health and well-being, reinforcing our mission to make retail smarter and more human centric,” says Vasco Portugal, CEO and Co-founder at Sensei.

M&S

M&S is working with Ocula Technologies to boost search performance across its online product catalogue.

“By combining their team’s expertise with our AI, M&S are creating search optimised, high quality product copy at scale, helping more customers find the right products faster,” says Thomas McKenna, CEO at Ocula Technologies.

“Ocula has helped us speed up how we optimise product copy for search, while still ensuring brand alignment etc.. It means customers find what they’re looking for more easily and keeps us ahead in the competitive search landscape,” says Thomas Parkins, Digital Optimisation Manager, Marks & Spencer.

“Huge thanks to Tom and the wider M&S team - we’re excited to keep building on what we’ve started together,” McKenna adds.

CeX

Just Eat Takeaway.com reports a global expansion of its retail partnership with second-hand gaming and electronics retailer CeX.

Following a launch in the UK earlier this year, the service is launching in Ireland with 36 CeX stores available on the Just Eat app, and simultaneously expanding into Spain, where 62 CeX stores are now available.

These locations join the network of 376 CeX stores already selling on the Just Eat platform across the UK.

Uber Direct and Shopify

Uber Direct is now available to Shopify Plus merchants across the US, Canada, and France.

This brings Uber’s one-hour, same-day, and scheduled delivery network directly into the Shopify ecosystem.

“Uber Direct is designed to help merchants meet customers where they are. Our integration with Shopify will give Shopify Plus merchants a new way to keep their direct connection with customers and stay competitive, without the cost or complexity of building delivery operations from scratch,” says Bernie Huddlestun, Head of Uber Direct.

“By partnering with Shopify, we’re excited to help retailers strengthen customer relationships and unlock new revenue, especially during peak moments when speed matters most.”

Wickes

CitySprint has announced an extension to its partnership with British home improvement retailer Wickes. 

This will see the pair continue their collaboration until 31st December 2027, building on a relationship that first began in 2016.

CitySprint will continue to provide home delivery services from Wickes’ network of over 230 stores across the UK. The extended contract reflects a key enhancement: reducing the prealerted delivery time window from five hours to four.

Faye Calland, Sales and Marketing Director at CitySprint, says: “We’re proud to be extending our long-standing partnership with Wickes. Since 2016, our teams have worked closely together to deliver millions of orders nationwide, always focusing on customer convenience and reliability.”

“Shortening the delivery window is the next step in enhancing the experience for Wickes’ customers, helping them receive the products they need, when they need them.”

Keith Ash: Distribution and Fulfilment Director at Wickes, says: “CitySprint has been an integral partner for Wickes, ensuring our customers receive a fast and reliable delivery service. This extension is a vital part of our strategy to stay competitive in the home improvement market, and we’re proud to continue building on our shared commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction."

Coborn’s

Coborn’s is deploying Revionics' AI Pricing Platform across its supermarket brands.

“Delivering freshness and value to our communities has been our mission since 1921,” says Scott Winburn, Senior Director of Pricing Strategy at Coborn’s. “As we accelerate our growth journey - which includes operating more banners in expanded markets - our pricing strategy must be agile, localised and customer centric.”

He adds: “In this fast paced retail environment, you’re either innovating or you’re getting passed by those that are. For Coborn’s to be successful for another 100 years, we recognise that advanced technologies - including AI for pricing and promotion - are essential for delivering the best possible experience to our guests."

“With Revionics’ AI Pricing Platform, we can tailor our pricing strategies to reflect guests’ unique preferences and buying patterns across all our banners and communities. By bringing more science, scale and precision into our processes, Coborn’s will become even more effective at ensuring we’re priced right on the items our guests care about most.”

Waitrose

Waitrose and SOLUM have announced a partnership to deploy electronic shelf labels (ESL) across all the UK grocery retailer’s stores.

The roll-out, planned for completion in 2026, will reduce the time spent on manual ticket updates.

SOLUM says that its Newton Pro ESL was selected for its premium design, durability and quality, reliable performance, and suitability for the fast paced demands of food retail.

Mark Duckworth, Country Manager UK & Ireland at SOLUM, which was founded in 2015 as a spin-off from Samsung Electro-Mechanics, comments: “This milestone reflects the strength of SOLUM - not only in product quality and design, but in how closely we have aligned our goals with Waitrose throughout the process.”

“From the initial PoC, our teams worked side by side to support their ambitions and ensure the solution delivered meaningful value in store. We’re proud to contribute to the high standards Waitrose sets and see this as an important step in enabling further innovation across the sector.”

Schnuck Markets

Schnuck Markets, a supermarket chain in the United States, is leveraging Domo’s AI and Data Products platform.

It says that, by implementing Domo as its enterprise reporting platform, it is overcoming the common fragmented, siloed data challenges grocery retailers face.

With 113 stores throughout the Midwest, Schnucks had faced significant challenges in consolidating disparate data from its stores, warehouses, vendors, and internal departments. Reports were manually created through spreadsheets and printouts, often leading to misaligned teams and conflicting data interpretations.

Domo enabled it to aggregate and visualise data from HR, finance, marketing, operations, merchandising, and supply chain into one centralised platform. Store teams use Domo daily to optimise staffing, production, and customer service, while leaders rely on it to track strategic progress across multiple states.

“We no longer ask ‘What were my sales yesterday?’ but focus on ‘What do I need to do moving forward to improve the customer experience?’” says Colin Lloyd, Director of Business Analytics at Schnucks. “Domo is the tortilla, and data is the filling - together they nourish our business daily.”

Instacart

Instacart says that it is the first grocery partner to launch an app on ChatGPT and the first to offer an embedded, end-to-end shopping and Instant Checkout, all within the context of a ChatGPT conversation.

The aim here is to make it easier for people to go from meal inspiration to doorstep delivery, using Instacart’s real-time grocery network and fulfillment capabilities with the help of OpenAI frontier model capabilities. 

“Instacart and ChatGPT are redefining what’s possible in AI powered shopping,” says Anirban Kundu, Chief Technology Officer at Instacart.

“Built on Agentic Commerce Protocol, this experience brings intelligent, real-time support to one of the most essential parts of daily life: getting groceries to feed your family.”

“Together, we’re creating a seamless and secure way for people to turn simple conversations into real-world action, helping customers go from inspiration to a full cart delivered from the store to their door with ease.”

“With the Instacart app directly in ChatGPT, users can go from meal planning to checkout in a single, seamless conversation,” says Nick Turley, VP, Head of ChatGPT. “It’s another step toward bringing our vision to life - where AI delivers helpful suggestions and connects directly to real-world services, saving people time and effort in their everyday lives.”

The Instacart ChatGPT app experience with Instant Checkout is currently available on desktop and mobile web; the Instacart ChatGPT app is available on iOS and Android, with Instant Checkout rolling out to these native platforms in the coming weeks.

Walgreens

Walgreens Advertising Group, the retail media arm of Walgreens, has announced an expansion of its retail media ecosystem with Rokt.

The agreement enables non-endemic brands to reach millions of Walgreens consumers on Walgreens.com’s order confirmation page.

"We are committed to connecting brands with one of the most loyal and engaged consumer bases in the country,” says Abishake Subramanian, Group Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Loyalty and Walgreens Advertising Group.

“By expanding our retail media ecosystem with AI powered capabilities, we’re giving advertisers new ways to engage customers in meaningful moments while creating incremental value for Walgreens.”

Frank's Catering

London-based Frank's Catering has announced a partnership with same-day delivery specialist Gophr.

Founded in 1980 as a single Hammersmith coffee shop, Frank’s has grown into a provider for events, offices and hospitality venues across the capital.

With its in-house fleet now operating at full stretch, it says that the Gophr tie up will help it take on more work without compromising the freshness, reliability or sustainability standards that underpin the family business.

Gophr will supports deliveries that fall outside its existing reach, including longer distance drops, last minute requests and peak time overflow orders. The service will support everything from office catering to larger event deliveries serving 10–200 people.

Frank’s uses fully recyclable, plastic free platter packaging and prides itself on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Gophr’s locally based courier network will help minimise unnecessary road miles and maintain temperature sensitive quality throughout the supply chain.

Sam De Conto, Director at Frank’s, says: “Keeping our food fresh and on time has always been non-negotiable for us. As the business has grown, we’ve reached the point where relying solely on our own vans would limit what we can say ‘yes’ to. Gophr lets us protect and better the standards our customers expect while giving us the breathing room to grow without compromise.”

shoezone

shoezone has partnered with Royal Mail to expand its network of collection and return locations for online customers across the UK.

The tie up introduces thousands of new Royal Mail return points, with the aim of giving customers greater flexibility and choice when returning their online purchases.

New collection points and returns hubs include more than 24,000 locations where customers can drop off and collect parcels: 2,200 lockers; Almost 8,000 Royal Mail Shop outlets; 11,500 Post Office branches; 1,200 Royal Mail Customer Service Points; 1,400 parcel postboxes.

Customers can also drop off parcels in 3,500 solar powered postboxes, which feature a larger postbox slot suitable for parcels up to the size of a shoebox.

The addition of these locations forms part of shoezone’s investment in improving convenience and accessibility for online shoppers. It follows implementation of free next day delivery with no minimum spend, seven days a week, across its online shop.

Gary Baines, Head of Digital at shoezone, says: “More delivery options mean more flexibility and convenience for customers - from collecting an order on the go, to returning it when it suits them.”