Focus on retail media, AI, and automation: last week’s biggest tech plays at a glance

RTIH rounds up the stand out retail tech deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including Debenhams Group, Seel, Macy's, Pentaleap, ExtraMile Convenience Stores, Swiftly, StrongPoint, Cineplex, Rokt, Breezm, Goddiva, Checkpoint Systems, and JD Sports Fashion.

Debenhams Group

Debenhams Group is rolling out Seel’s AI powered Worry-Free Purchase programme throughout Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States, with the aim of delivering a more streamlined post-purchase experience to its portfolio, which includes brands like Debenhams, Karen Millen, boohoo, boohoo Man, and PrettyLittleThing.

Worry-Free Purchase offers shoppers extended return windows, white glove claims support, and delay protection.

“Providing our customers with an exceptional shopping experience has always been at the heart of our customer experience strategy,” says Daniel Finley, Group CEO at Debenhams. "Our partnership with Seel represents a transformative enhancement to our customer journey, extending our commitment to excellence beyond the checkout moment. We want to ensure every purchase, delivery, and resolution feels effortless for our shoppers.”

Macy's

Pentaleap has been selected by Macy’s to power the next generation of its retail media network.

Pentaleap’s technology allows retailers to serve more relevant online ads to shoppers while enabling brands to buy sponsored product placements across multiple ad tech platforms where they already manage retail media investments.

“We’re focused on delivering value to both shoppers and brand partners,” says Michael Krans, VP Retail Media, Macy’s. “Our collaboration with Pentaleap helps us create a more open and flexible retail media ecosystem - one that ensures relevant ads and protects the user experience while expanding access to new demand sources that drive growth.”

Coach

Coach has launched its first ever open access designer collection in The Sims 4.

This collaboration introduces: Wearable pieces from Coach’s ready to wear line; Its Tabby and Brooklyn bags; A special Coach Trunk that unlocks mood driven, pre-styled looks; Nine items with 65+ colour and print variations so players can create hundreds of unique outfits; Decorative objects for Build Mode inspired by Coach icons.

In a LinkedIn post, the company said: "At its heart, this partnership brings our purpose, the courage to be real, into a digital world where self-expression thrives. By making the collection openly accessible to all players globally, we’re inviting everyone to play, create, and explore new facets of style on their terms. See you there!"

Giovannai Zaccariello, SVP Global Visual Experience, added: "I want to take a moment to thank all the teams at Coach that made this launch possible. We continue to test and learn new ways to better engage with our Gen Z audience and this is yet another way of doing that and at the same time bring to life our courage to be real and self-expression values."

DoorDash and Hibbett

DoorDash and Hibbett have announced a partnership to bring on-demand access of footwear, apparel, and accessories to consumers across the United States.

“Bringing Hibbett to our marketplace expands convenient, on demand access to the apparel and footwear consumers rely on, especially in communities where Hibbett has a strong local presence,” says Fuad Hannon, VP of New Verticals at DoorDash.

“This partnership reflects our continued focus on building meaningful retail relationships that give consumers greater choice and speed, whether they are gearing up for a game, refreshing everyday essentials, or shopping for last minute accessories and beyond.”

"DoorDash is a natural partner for us with our shared focus on making everyday shopping easier and faster for our customers," says Bill Quinn, CIO, Hibbett. "By connecting with its delivery network, we’re simplifying the path from checkout to doorstep, so shoppers can get their footwear and apparel shopping done quickly and seamlessly. This new partnership is yet another way for us to provide efficiency and continue to improve our customer experience."

StrongPoint

StrongPoint has announced a contract awarded by an (unnamed) global e-commerce retailer to design and install its first AutoStore automated fulfilment centre in the UK. The value of this is approximately MNOK 100, estimated to be delivered over the next 12 months.

“This AutoStore and automation solution emphasise our commitment to provide all retailers with world class automated solutions using market leading technology. Our focus is now to deliver the best possible solution for the customer, leveraging our extensive experience in the retail e-commerce and automation sectors,” says Jacob Tveraabak, StrongPoint CEO.

Iceland and The Food Warehouse

Iceland Retail Media, a retail media network operated through Iceland and The Food Warehouse, is partnering with STRATACACHE to provide in-store digital signage, CMS and analytic sensor technology across 766 locations.

The tie up makes Iceland and The Food Warehouse the first European retailer to employ STRATACACHE’s Walkbase solution for precise audience attribution. The deployment of the camera free sensor solution means that the Iceland Retail Media Network will be able to accurately confirm real-time in-store advertisements impressions without a biometric indicator and fully aligned to consumer privacy best practices. 

“In retail media, it’s not enough to simply run ads in-store, you have to prove impressions and conversions. The ability to measure and validate shopper impressions is what transforms retail media from guesswork into a unique, performance-driven channel that delivers real value for brands and retailers,” says Chris Riegel, Founder and CEO at STRATACACHE.

“Our technology means that not only will the Iceland Retail Media team be able to accurately report performance to their brand partners but that they will also be able to gain crucial in-store insights to help serve their advertisers and customers better.”

ExtraMile Convenience Stores

Swiftly is working with ExtraMile Convenience Stores to integrate its Alcohol Cashback programme into the ExtraMile, Chevron and Texaco mobile apps and the combined rewards offering. This covers beer, wine, and spirits for shoppers that are rewards members across more than 1,100 ExtraMile locations in the United States.

Swiftly’s Alcohol Cashback solution replaces traditional mail in rebates with an alternative that allows customers to browse active offers, activate deals through their Rewards account at checkout, and receive cash back via PayPal, Venmo, or a digital prepaid Visa.

The programme is entirely supplier funded, requiring no contribution by merchants, while Swiftly manages all state level compliance, validation, and reimbursement.

Cineplex

Rokt, an e-commerce technology company using machine learning and AI to make transactions more relevant to customers, has added Cineplex to its portfolio of brands.

Cineplex has integrated Rokt's AI powered technology into its e-commerce checkout experience, enabling the company to deliver relevant, non-endemic offers and messages to guests in real-time.

“We're always looking for innovative ways to elevate the guest experience both in our theatres and across our digital platforms," says Kristie Painting, Executive Vice President, Cineplex Media. "By partnering with Rokt, we can deliver more relevant messages to our moviegoers while unlocking new revenue opportunities. We're excited about how this collaboration will enhance the customer journey and drive meaningful engagement."

"We're thrilled to partner with Cineplex as they bring Rokt's AI powered relevance into their transaction flow for the first time," says Craig Galvin, Chief Revenue Officer at Rokt. "Cineplex is an iconic entertainment leader, and this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to innovation and performance. By activating relevance within the transaction moment, we're helping Cineplex unlock sustainable, incremental value across their digital ecosystem."

Goddiva

Goddiva has announced the upcoming launch of an AI virtual try-on experience.

Designed initially for the online retailer’s VIP customers, this allows users to upload their own image and visualise themselves wearing Goddiva styles across both collection pages and individual product pages. This is not a simple overlay or face-based visual, the company says. The system analyses body structure, proportions, and size data to simulate how a garment will fit, drape, and sit on the customer’s unique body shape.

“This is about confidence and clarity,” says Yathu Kanagaratnam, Head of Technology & AI Strategy at Goddiva. “When customers can see themselves in a dress - not a model, not an avatar, but them - they can make better decisions. That means fewer returns, less frustration, and a far better overall experience.”

The initiative also plays a role in Goddiva’s sustainability strategy. It says that, by improving fit accuracy and purchase confidence, the virtual try-on experience is expected to significantly reduce return rates.

The platform is built entirely in-house, using Google Gemini alongside proprietary AI systems developed by Goddiva’s technology team. The feature is fully GDPR compliant, opt-in only, and customer images are processed solely to deliver the virtual try-on experience.

Breezm

Breezm, a South Korean founded specialist in custom fit eyewear, has launched nationwide in the United States with its iPhone app, Breezm: Eyewear Made for You.

Users can:

• Complete a guided facial scan with their phone to capture precise measurements that inform how each frame is designed to fit

• Receive personalised recommendations through Breezm’s AI Fit Finder, which analyses facial structure and proportions to identify frame styles optimised for balance, comfort, and lightweight wearability

• Customise more than 80 frame styles, selecting from a range of colours, such as Concrete Gray, Leather Brown, and Ruby Red, and premium titanium finishes

• Order custom fit eyeglasses, made on demand with Breezm’s in-house 3D printing and laser cutting process, delivered directly to their door

JD Sports Fashion

Checkpoint Systems has inked a multi-year global agreement with JD Sports Fashion to deploy its RFID inventory management software, ItemOptix, across the retailer’s Sports Fashion Group stores, starting in Europe.  

The tie up began with a pilot in the second half of 2024 across five stores in the UK, France, and Spain, and has scaled into a full SaaS roll-out. By the end of 2025, Checkpoint had launched the initial phase, bringing more than 400 stores live in the UK and Ireland, with the deployment expanding across Europe to reach nearly 1,000 stores by the end of 2026.

In parallel, its DC tunnel solutions are already operational in JD Sports’ UK DC, with installation at the Netherlands DC scheduled imminently. 

During the pilot phase, JD Sports reported a 12% increase in on-shelf availability and a 20% improvement in restocking speed with a 95% increase in items found, driven by the real-time insights and operational agility provided by the platform.

Daniel McGrath, JD Group Head of Customer Operations, says, “We are very excited to take our partnership with Checkpoint to the next level over the coming months and years ahead, and we thank Checkpoint for their support and for everyone’s efforts to date as we start our RFID Journey.” 

“We are forming a partnership to span many years, and that needs to start on the right footing, and I firmly believe we have created that between us. Both sides have worked tirelessly and in very short timelines to get us to where we are today.”

Frasers Group

Frasers Group is integrating Sports Direct membership into the Frasers Plus credit payment account with the aim of creating one unified, rewards platform.

From February, Frasers Plus will serve as the single destination for rewards and flexible payment options across the group’s brands including Sports Direct, FLANNELS, and FRASERS, as well as 16 partner retailers such as LOOKFANTASTIC and Myprotein. 

David Twigg, Managing Director of Frasers Group Financial Services, says: “This is an exciting step forward for Frasers Plus."

"By integrating Frasers Group’s existing loyalty offerings under Frasers Plus, we’re building on important learnings from the past year about how our customers like to shop and streamlining the customer experience to deliver a more powerful, personalised, and cohesive rewards proposition across our full portfolio and partner retailers. This new chapter will bring engaged Frasers Plus users unparalleled flexibility and value, earning points and benefits as they spend."

Wolt

Wolt reports its biggest ever consumer app update. The company says that this represents the next step in its evolution into a multi-vertical commerce platform; giving consumers a faster way to discover and shop across categories - including groceries, pharmacy, beauty, and electronics - and offering a broader range of local merchants a new channel to grow their online sales.

Over the past decade, Wolt has grown from a restaurant delivery startup into a technology platform that has fulfilled more than 700 million consumer orders across over 30 countries. Today, non-restaurant categories account for more than 20% of all orders.

“As our selection has expanded beyond restaurants into new categories, we needed to evolve the app not only to match the pace of the company’s growth, but also to make it easier for customers to buy almost anything they need on Wolt," says Julia Niemann, Director of Product Management, Consumer Product.

"Many customers haven’t been aware of the wide range of products and venues already available on Wolt, which is a missed opportunity for customers and merchants alike. This update is a big step in fixing that - and reimagining how the customer can find what they need on Wolt; be it milk and bananas, painkillers, pet food, baby toys, shampoo or umbrellas. We’ve made discovery faster, smarter and more intuitive - built on insights into how people browse, search and shop locally today."

She adds: “Customer needs have always guided how we design and build at Wolt. Local commerce is changing fast – people want to shop across categories with the same ease as ordering food, and this update makes that possible while opening new opportunities for merchants. We’re building the infrastructure for how people will interact with their city in the future.”