Secret shoppers and endless aisles: RTIH rounds up its most read retail technology articles from May

These are the RTIH retail systems articles that caught your fancy during May, including Guitar Center, RELEX Solutions, M&S, TCS, Walmart, Primark, Evri, Etsy, Stripe, Tesco F&F, Footasylum, and NewStore.

Guitar Center boosts allocation and store replenishment planning processes with RELEX Solutions tech

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.

Tata Consultancy Services greenlights internal investigation amid fall out from M&S cyber attack

TCS is conducting an internal investigation over whether it was the gateway for the cyber attack on Marks & Spencer.

The Indian IT giant has provided services to M&S for more than a decade.

The retailer recently said that the hackers had managed to gain access to its systems via a third party. It is hoped the investigation will be concluded by the end of the month, according to a report by The FT that cites people familiar with the matter.

Both M&S and TCS did not reply to our request for comment.

Secret Shopper: F&F finally goes back online as Tesco nails the fashion but fumbles the website experience

Anyone who knows me in real life, the person behind RTIH’s Secret Shopper alias, knows I am unapologetically obsessed with F&F at Tesco.

Their clothing range has come into its own over the past year or so, quietly stepping up its game and becoming one of the most stylish high street offerings out there. And while you used to have to wade through supermarket aisles to get your hands on a blazer or linen co-ord, everything changed this week. That’s right: F&F is finally back online.

I’ve been championing this moment for ages. The clothes have that polished, Zara inspired vibe but with Tesco price points. There’s clearly been a strategic push behind this elevation, likely thanks to their 2022 Group Managing Director for Home and Clothing hire - Katja Ahola Klamkin. And while F&F was available online many moons ago, it disappeared from digital shelves and remained in-store only for years, until now.

Naturally, as your loyal retail scout, I cleared my schedule, fired up my laptop, and hit the site on day one. But while the launch was exciting, the experience wasn’t all smooth sailing. As much as I love F&F, I’m here to give you the good, the bad, and the glitchy.

Keith Alexander takes on expanded role within tech leadership team at value retailer Primark

Primark’s Keith Alexander is taking on an expanded technology portfolio within Interim CIO Dave Robertson’s tech leadership team.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: “I am now accountable for all colleague operational products and business platforms (with the exception of Digital and Customer Experience). I have a terrific front, middle and back office tech team and have so many exciting innovations to deliver together as we grow Primark. It feels like every week we are delivering something new for our colleagues.”

Alexander joined the Information Technology function at Primark two and a half years ago from Currys, where he had served as Supply Chain Tech Transformation Lead.

Walmart Discovered Pass launches on Roblox, pitched as first ever branded game pass on the platform

Walmart says that it is raising the bar on Roblox with the launch of Discovered Pass, pitched as the first ever branded game pass on the platform offering exclusive monthly perks across popular and up and coming experiences.

The US retail giant worked with GEEIQ and Sawhorse Productions to bring this to life.

This month, those include the following:

Fisch​: a fishing adventure game to catch the rarest fish on Roblox with more than 162K average players per month.

Catalogue Avatar Creator​: one of the most popular experiences to customise avatars with more than 3.6 billion total visits to date.

Jail Break​: a global top 100 game on the platform with more than 5.6 million likes allowing players to strategise with friends.

Mega Hide and Seek​: a top 50 game in the United States where players have one minute to hide before the seeker looks for them.

Horse Valley: with more than 815K items favourited, players build ranches, train horses, and solve mysteries alongside friends.

Select developers of participating games will be participating in AMA events and hosting game nights with Walmart’s Discord community each month. They’ll also be highlighting their branded or favourite products from Walmart with links to buy.

The pass can be purchased for 199 Robux in Walmart Discovered or directly in participating games and experiences. New perks will be added every month. Pass holders can also earn free limited UGC from their favourite creators in Walmart Discovered each month.

No card filling required as Etsy brings instant bank payments to US buyers in partnership with Stripe

Etsy reports a new payment option for users in the US.

In a LInkedIn post, Brian Gallagher, Staff Product Manager at Etsy, said: "I’m delighted to share what I’ve been working on over the past few months. Instant bank payments are now available for US Etsy buyers. This new option allows shoppers to connect their bank account at checkout for a secure and streamlined purchasing experience - no card filling required."

He added: "Buyers now have: A fast, secure way to pay directly from their bank account; More choice with a card free and cost-effective payment method. It’s been a pleasure to bring this to life with my fantastic teammates, in close partnership with the team at Stripe. More to come as we continue evolving how money moves on Etsy."

Endless Aisle Live: Footasylum talks NewStore retail technology powered omnichannel transformation journey

At Endless Aisle Live, which took place in London this month, representatives from British sportswear retailer Footasylum and its private equity investor owner Aurelius Group shared how the company is embracing omnichannel. 

“We talk about change management, but this was really Footasylum starting over from scratch,” explained Richard Noon, Product Manager. 

Evri announces multi-million pound acquisition of Irish customs clearance and logistics firm Coll-8

UK parcel delivery company, Evri, has announced the acquisition of Coll-8, an Irish customs clearance and logistics specialist.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, although a press release states that this is a multi-million pound move.

The aim is strengthen Evri’s end-to-end capabilities in the Republic of Ireland and wider European Union by integrating its parcel delivery services with Coll-8’s bespoke, digital customs clearance platform, which automates and streamlines cross-border trade.

Currently, while Evri can guarantee next-day delivery within the UK, deliveries into the Republic of Ireland can take up to five days. By leveraging Coll-8’s technology, it expects to reduce delivery times to two days, boosting its end-to-end service proposition with coverage across first mile, middle mile and customs clearance for international customers.