Including Vinted Go, Wolt, Asos, and CostCo: last week’s biggest retail technology plays at a glance

RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Roblox, Shopify, Deliverect, Secret Sales, Mirakl, Affirm, Blue Yonder, First Insight, B&Q, BrandSwap, InPost, JD Sports Fashion, World Market, and Galeria.

Roblox

Roblox is giving creators the tools that let users discover and buy across physical and digital spaces.

Users can now buy physical products directly within their favourite Roblox experiences and receive avatar items as part of the purchase.

Shopify is the first integrated partner for its Commerce APIs, which means that, if a creator or brand is a Shopify merchant, they can start selling physical goods inside their experiences.

A new Approved Merchandiser Programme, meanwhile, enables creators, brands, manufacturers, and IP holders to link off platform retail or e-commerce purchases to avatar items and accessories on Roblox.

Vinted Go

Smart locker specialist, Bloq.it, will be powerering Vinted Go, the dedicated logistics brand of Vinted Group, as it expands into Spain and Portugal.

Bloq.it is already Vinted Go’s partner of smart locker hardware and software in France, where it has deployed over 5,000 parcel lockers throughout the country. Vinted Go’s delivery solution and Bloq.it technology will go live first in Madrid in mid May, followed by Lisbon later in the year. 

Carrefour Belgium

Carrefour Belgium has developed a new autonomous micro-store concept, Carrefour BuyBye, in association with Reckon.AI, with the aim of tapping into opportunities beyond traditional retail.

And this week it launched its third location, at the NATO SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) base is in Casteau, near Mons. This offers over 250 everyday essentials, including breakfast options with fresh fruits, lunch, dinner, and personal care items, available 24/7, and supplied by the team at Carrefour Market Casteau.

With AI at the core, people can pick and go, with products being charged automatically.

In a LInkedIn post, Ana Pinto, CEO at Reckon.ai, said: "Very proud of the incredible work of both teams, and it shows the growth and trust of big companies on our technology and team. Unattended has never been easier."

Deliverect

Food tech SaaS company, Deliverect, has announced the launch of Resolve, an AI powered solution that tackles a pain point for multi-location restaurants.

Developed using Google’s Gemini Models and Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform, Resolve taps vision AI technology to improve order accuracy and provide restaurants with the tools to effectively dispute fraudulent refund claims.

The launch is pitched as a significant step in Deliverect's broader strategy to leverage AI for automating manual tasks and driving actionable insights that transform restaurant operations. It says that restaurants who have implemented Resolve have seen a 95% refund capture rate and up to 70% revenue loss protection within the first three months of implementation, driven by process improvements, data insights, and successful dispute resolution.

Super Akí

Super Akí, a Mexican grocery retail chain, has chosen RELEX Solutions, to optimise supply chain planning, pricing and promotion management, and space planning across its 51 stores, distribution centre, and e-commerce channels.

The RELEX unified platform will help Super Akí address the complex challenges of grocery retail, where accurate forecasting is crucial for fresh produce, perishables, and ambient goods across multiple channels.

By implementing unified solutions across supply chain planning, pricing, promotions, and space management, Super Akí says it will predict customer demand patterns more effectively, optimise inventory levels, and reduce waste while ensuring product availability. These improvements will lead to fresher products on shelves, fewer stockouts, and a more efficient operation, enhancing the shopping experience across their stores to drive growth.

Secret Sales

Secret Sales, a UK-based off-price luxury fashion retailer, is implementing Mirakl Ads, a retail media solution tailored to both first-party e-commerce and third-party marketplace offerings.

The company's network of over 2,400 premium brands will now gain access to advertising capabilities through Mirakl Ads' platform. The technology enables brands to create, automate, and optimise their campaigns using AI powered tools.

The roll-out begins in the UK market in May, focusing initially on sponsored product advertising with Secret Sales' partners. The company plans expansion into Germany and additional European markets from June, with future developments including new advertising formats.

Follett Higher Education

Koddi has announced a partnership with Follett Higher Education, North America’s largest campus retailer, to support sponsored product advertising within its online campus stores.

Koddi’s commerce media technologies provide sponsored product ad tools, including automated optimisation and targeting to deliver personalised experiences. 

“It’s incredibly important to our campus partners that they offer customised, student centric online shopping experiences, and Koddi’s technology is proven to deliver highly relevant content to the right audiences,” says Jeremy Bare, Chief Merchandising Officer at Follett Higher Education.

“Over the past decade, the traditional campus bookstore has evolved into a destination for students, faculty, and fans seeking more options and greater convenience, and Koddi is helping us take the campus store experience to the next level for those shopping online.”

Frasers Group

Australian firm Zitcha has been appointed by Frasers Group, behind UK retailers such as Sports Direct, Flannels and Frasers, to power its newly launched ELEVATE retail media network. 

This enables brand partners to reach shoppers at key moments across the Group’s physical and digital touchpoints, including in-store, online and off-site locations.

With an audience of 30 million+ customers, spanning across the sports, premium and luxury sectors, it is pitched as the UK’s most comprehensive retail media offering from a multi-category retailer, covering the likes of a physical and digital advertising estate of 750+ UK stores, 60+ Everlast Gyms locations, Frasers Group owned shopping centres, and national out-of-home advertising spaces.

This builds on the recent launch of Sports Direct Membership, a programme designed to reward loyal omnichannel customers with exclusive benefits and personalised benefits.

Costco

Costco has announced a multi-year partnership naming Affirm as a pay over time provider for Costco.com in the US.

Now, after going through a real-time eligibility check, approved Costco members can choose from Affirm’s personalised monthly payment plans for purchases ranging from $500 to $17,500.

“As summer approaches, we're seeing more consumers turn to Affirm to prepare for the season ahead - whether it's outdoor entertaining essentials, like a new barbecue or patio furniture, a storage shed, or a new set of appliances,” says Pat Suh, Affirm’s SVP of Revenue.

“Costco members in particular know the value of planning ahead and buying in bulk. We're excited to offer them an alternative to traditional credit, helping them confidently manage their spending on larger purchases without hidden fees.”

First Insight

First Insight is laying claim to a new approach to predicting pricing and demand to protect retailers’ margins amid tariff uncertainty.

The onset of tariffs has made many retailers acutely aware that they’re not prepared for unexpected supply chain volatility and the shifting consumer behaviors that result.

First Insight, which works with retailers like Gap, Under Armour and Marks & Spencer, has turned its attention to making sure firms can take control of their pricing and inventory strategies using real-time customer insights and predictive scenario modeling. 

In the last few months alone, tariffs have shifted in percentages, impacted countries and affected categories and materials - creating confusion and financial pressure across the retail industry.

These unpredictable changes lead to pricing blind spots that erode margins and force retailers into reactive, often damaging decisions. Retailers need to be able to simulate how tariff driven costs impact their margins and sales, and understand how consumers perceive product value at different price points.

Galeria

German department store chain, Galeria, is deploying Blue Yonder's demand and replenishment capabilities to strengthen its supply chain and enhance operational efficiency. The ultimate aim here is to deliver a highly responsive and seamless shopping experience across both in-store and online channels.

Galeria previously relied mainly on manual processes that limited the company’s ability to forecast demand and accurately allocate inventory across its stores.

Through collaboration between Galeria's IT, purchasing and supply chain teams and Blue Yonder, the teams were able to significantly improve the retailer’s data quality, availability, and business process efficiency. The collaboration was also pivotal in establishing well defined system interfaces to support seamless data integration and automation.

Wolt

Wolt Ads, local commerce platform Wolt's advertising service for merchants, has announced the launch of its self-service platform, enabling brands and agencies to plan, activate, and optimise campaigns across 30+ European and Asian markets.

Catalina Salazar, Global Senior Director at Wolt Ads, says: “The new self-service tools, built for speed and scalability, give brands and their agencies end-to-end campaign control. This is retail media amplified, with data collaboration at the core. We’re not just a local commerce platform, but a media ecosystem built for performance - one that helps brands connect with shoppers at the moment of purchase, while offering customers relevant and affordable choices."

“From impulse buys to the full weekly shop, Wolt is building the digital shopping mall of the future in your pocket - and Wolt Ads gives brands the keys to activate it. It’s a performance engine for the full spectrum of retail, built to help brands drive relevance, conversion, and growth.”

B&Q

BrandSwap has been appointed by home improvement retailer B&Q to deliver post-checkout rewards to shoppers at diy.com. 

B&Q will use the firm’s advertiser network and retail media platform to add exclusive rewards from brand partners such as Apple, Sky, and The AA to its order confirmation page.

The initiative will tap BrandSwap's real-time relevance capabilities, which recommend rewards based on shopper purchase. For example, customers buying appliances will be able to redeem offers on cleaning products from smol, and those making kitchen-related purchases will see rewards from Pact Coffee.

B&Q will use the same functionality to create tailored retail media opportunities, allowing advertisers to target shoppers purchasing in specific categories and locations. 

Amazon UK and Gopuff

Amazon UK has announced a partnership with Gopuff. Initially available to its customers in Birmingham and Salford, Gopuff will offer thousands of grocery products including alcohol and snacks, which will be delivered to by the US quick commerce big hitter in under 60 minutes, and as fast as 15 minutes, available 24/7.

Russell Jones, Director of Grocery Partnerships at Amazon, says: “Working with grocery retail partners is an important part of our offering, giving customers more choice and more convenient options to have groceries delivered from their favourite stores and brands, ordered via our website. We are excited to bring Gopuff to Amazon customers and to offer our Prime members even more savings, with free delivery on their first order over £20 and other great value discounts.” 

Guitar Center

Guitar Center, a retailer of musical instruments, accessories, and lessons, has chosen RELEX Solutions to strengthen its allocation and store replenishment planning processes.

Its tech will support Guitar Center’s network of more than 300 stores and multiple distribution centres across North America, with the aim of enabling improved product availability while reducing inventory levels across 7,000+ SKUs. 

By leveraging RELEX for AI driven replenishment capabilities, Guitar Center aims to improve product availability, ensuring the right products are accessible in all stores.  This initiative addresses challenges with previous disparate systems that led to excess inventory and stockouts, enabling Guitar Center to align their inventory more effectively with customer demand. 

The RELEX platform will provide real-time visibility into inventory levels, allowing for more accurate and timely store replenishment decisions.

This will help minimise stockouts and overstock situations, ensuring that customers can always find the products they need. Additionally, the automation of replenishment processes will free up staff to focus on more strategic tasks.

World Market

World Market, a US retailer known for furniture and home decor, gifts, and candy and international food favourites, has partnered with BNPL specialist Affirm, with the latter’s biweekly or monthly payment plans now available at its nearly 250 locations nationwide and online at checkout.

“Helping our customers bring home unique finds they love while delivering the best shopping experience is World Market’s mission,” says Eric Hunter, CEO at World Market. “We are thrilled to have Affirm as a partner that will help us deliver on our mission by providing enhanced payment solutions that offer longer payment terms without hidden fees, giving our customers more choices in how they pay for their next furniture update, seasonal decor refresh or celebration essentials.”

In-store World Market customers can get started by scanning a QR code with their smartphone, while online shoppers can select Affirm at checkout. After a quick eligibility check, approved customers will see personalised payment plans, with rates as low as 0% APR, term lengths up to 36 months, and no late or hidden fees.

JD Sports Fashion

o9 has announced a partnership with JD Sports Fashion.

JD Sports Fashion is a UK-based omnichannel retailer that operates more than 970 stores across Europe.

o9’s AI powered platform will enhance its assortment planning capabilities with the aim of becoming more data driven, automated, and agile. It will be implemented across JD Sports Fashion, Size?, and HIP brands.

“In today’s ever changing business environment, building an agile customer offering tailored to local needs, that is delivered with speed and efficiency, is critical to keeping a competitive edge,” says Wim van Aalst, Chief Supply Chain Officer, JD Sports Fashion. “As we continue growing our business, we look forward to partnering with o9 as they understand our business model and our unique requirements to enhance our Assortment Planning capabilities.”

Asos and InPost

InPost UK has launched what is pitched as the UK’s first nationwide next-day delivery service to lockers, in partnership with Asos.

The service, available exclusively to the online fashion retailer’s customers, offers next-day collection from InPost’s network of lockers and parcel shops for the first time. Shoppers will be able to select these lockers at checkout as their primary OOH delivery option. This is available to all Asos customers, and is free of charge for Premier customers.

The launch follows a series of moves by InPost to accelerate its growth and enhance its infrastructure in the UK, the Polish firm’s fastest growing market. In April, InPost announced the acquisition of UK parcel delivery firm Yodel, enabling the company to step into the position of the third largest agnostic logistics player in the country.