Currys taps TikTok and Amazon speeds up: presenting the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail tech news? Then this is the article for you. Including Resolve AI, Asos, Fermat, Matalan, Metapack, Ikea, Foundit!, Sensei, Vusion, EE, Walkbase, Goddiva, Brarista, Quorso, Vusion, and Extra Shop.
$125 million and $1 billion...Resolve AI, a startup that builds AI agents to find and fix problems in live software systems and whose customers include DoorDash, has raised $125 million in a non-blended Series A funding at a $1 billion valuation, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Existing investors Greylock Partners, which led the company's seed round, Unusual Ventures, Artisanal Ventures, and A* also took part. Resolve AI has raised more than $150 million in total funding just 16 months after emerging from stealth, winning customers including Coinbase, MongoDB, MSCI, Salesforce, and Zscaler.
"The next frontier for software engineering is applying AI to the problem of running software in production," says Spiros Xanthos, Founder and CEO at Resolve AI. "AI has fundamentally changed how software is built; now it's time to change how software runs. By applying AI to production operations, we're accelerating the entire lifecycle of software and creating the foundation for a new era of innovation at scale."
1...Brarista, IBM Consulting, Foundit!, Quorso, Vusion, Sensei, Reckon.ai, EE, Walkbase, Globant, Riskified, and Goddiva were among the winners at the first ever RTIH AI in Retail Awards, sponsored by VenHub Global, 3D Cloud, EdTech Innovation Hub, and Retail Technology Show.
Our 2026 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The Barbican in Central London and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Lucy Porter.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “According to Amazon’s Andy Jassy: AI is a once in a lifetime reinvention of everything we know, and the largest technology transformation since the cloud.”
“Whether that’s overstating it or not, we're certainly seeing an increasing number of innovative, potentially game changing developments in this space across both traditional and digital retail spaces. And that is reflected in tonight's finalists, who are boosting customer experiences and tackling retailers' painpoints across the likes of physical stores, online, omnichannel, supply chain, and payments.”
“To quote one of our judges: I have to admit, judging these awards was so difficult. So many that would have been worthy winners. And great to see how AI has moved firmly into delivery mode. Firmly into delivering for customers and driving huge innovation.”
Congratulations to our 2026 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended last night’s gathering.
Stay tuned for an indepth review of the awards ceremony in the next edition of RTIH magazine.
100...Asos says that it has upskilled more than 100 designers in generative AI. Fermat’s technology is now embedded across its design operations, enabling designers to turn sketches into photo realistic visuals in seconds.
The online retailer can instantly explore different colours, fabrics and variations, helping communicate ideas more clearly with suppliers and improving accuracy in first time samples while reducing waste.
These workflows also free up creative time, supported by an average 75 to 80% time saving across key design processes. According to Asos, designers can iterate more boldly, push ideas further and uncover concepts that may not have been developed before.
Nick Eley, Head of Digital Creation at Asos, says: “Generative AI is already elevating the way our designers explore trends and develop ideas. It helps us reach stronger concepts faster, so we can create the best possible product and deliver it to customers at the right moment.”
£5.9 billion...A new research report from CCS McLays, in partnership with Retail Economics, has uncovered a significant hidden cost opportunity in UK fashion retail, driven by widespread mismanagement of goods not for resale (GNFR).
UK fashion retailers could achieve an average 7% reduction in GNFR costs through a more systematic and strategic approach, it claims. This blind spot translates into £276 million in sector wide savings, flowing directly to operating profit and equivalent to the profit generated by £5.9 billion in additional sales - without the need for new stores, additional staff, or expanded channels.
GNFR includes the products and services retailers rely on to keep operations running but do not sell to customers, such as packaging, store consumables, PoS materials, and office and IT supplies. While GNFR underpins daily operations across stores, warehouses, and ecommerce, it often receives limited senior attention despite its scale and growing complexity.
10 milion...Currys has hit the milestone of ten million likes on its TikTok channel. In a LinkedIn post, Anthony Savva of Fabric Social (a creative agency that works with the retailer), said: “What an achievement, what a team we have.”
“It’s so easy to get caught up in performance when it comes to social but what gives Currys the edge is the people that work on the account day in, day out with a true passion and love for social. So much more to come with this channel in 2026!”
3 and 223...Matalan has launched a pilot involving Toshiba’s VisualStore 6 (VS6) EPoS solution, with three pilot stores now live in the UK with the self-service offering.
In a LinkedIn post, Roger Bannister, Business Development Manager at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, said: "Three down, 223 to go! Last night, our incredible team from Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions UK & Ireland and Matalan transformed the Coventry South store as part of our initial pilot phase."
"It's been so exciting to see the pilot stores come to life, and early feedback from store colleagues and customers has been really positive. Time now to pause (but not for too long!), reflect, and get ready for roll-out."
33...Build-A-Bear Workshop has launched a same-day Valentine’s Day delivery service from its UK stores with Uber Direct.
Customers ordering through the retailer’s website can select the same-day option and receive their order in a scheduled slot, with no delivery fee added to the total cost. Deliveries will be handled by Uber Direct’s courier network, which also powers Uber Eats.
Colleen Draper, Retail and Operations Director Europe at Build-A-Bear Workshop, which introduced a same-day delivery option across 33 of its UK stores during December, says: “As Valentine’s Day approaches, we know shoppers want gifts that feel meaningful - even when time is tight. A Build-A-Bear teddy or soft toy is a heartfelt, cuddly way to show someone you care, and our free same-day delivery option makes this personalised gift simple and stress free.”
40 and 1,700...Vusion has been selected by Extra Shop to deploy its solutions in 40 of the Belgian retailer’s locations in Belgium. The project will see more than 1,700 stores running Vusion’ technology in the country.
Extra Shop will deploy its platform and electronic shelf labels to highlight specific campaigns and product information, while displaying price and promotional information at the right place and time, adapting to customers’ expectations. Associates can also be guided during their restocking process thanks to geolocation and LEDs placed on each ESL.
“We are thrilled to partner with Vusion to bring advanced digital solutions to our stores. This collaboration will not only enhance our operational efficiency, but also keep our employees motivated and enthusiastic about improving the shopping experience for our customers,” says Laurent Vanden Brande, Head of Supply Chain and IT at Extra Shop.
“We selected Vusion for both their high impact digital solutions and their clear leadership in innovation, AI & Data at the service of retailers. We are eager to witness the positive impact of these innovations in our stores and are confident that our customers will benefit from an enhanced shopping experience.”
66% of UK and US consumers have already tried, or would be open to trying shopping online with an AI assistant such as ChatGPT or a retailer’s own AI shopping tool. But 69% who received irrelevant product suggestions have given up on an AI assistant and searched elsewhere.
The findings come from a survey of 2,000 consumers commissioned by Nosto. 72% expect AI shopping assistants to help them shop online. This includes helping surface deals and gift ideas, as well as offering fashion advice, such as suggesting complete the look bundles or answering questions about which items go well together.
90%...According to a new report from Metapack and Retail Economics, UK retailers are forecasting online sales growth to accelerate in 2026 as AI adoption expands to enhance shopping experiences and improve delivery performance, strengthening customer loyalty.
The research surveyed over 8,000 consumers and 400 retailers.
This is driven by rapid changes in consumer behaviour, with almost half of UK adults under 45 already using AI tools for e-commerce tasks such as product research, price comparison, and exploring delivery options. In response, retailers are increasing investment to keep pace, with 90% globally planning to boost spending on AI to optimise ecommerce operations over the next 12 to 24 months.
Globally, 78% of consumers used AI tools such as ChatGPT in the past 12 months, rising to 93% among those under 35. In the UK, this shift is reflected in shopping behaviour, with 30% of adults open to AI acting as a personal shopping agent, recommending products, checking delivery and returns options, and even making certain purchases on their behalf once preferences are set.
As a result, chat-based platforms including ChatGPT are emerging as a major retail channel, generating 50.2 million monthly shopping intent visits in the UK, ranking alongside the country’s biggest ecommerce sites.
1.6 billion and 13 billion...Amazon reports that it delivered to Prime members at its fastest speeds ever in 2025, with more than 1.6 billion items arriving the same or next day in the UK. Globally, more than 13 billion items arrived the same or next day.
“Fast, reliable delivery makes a real difference to our customers’ everyday lives, particularly across our wide selection of groceries and household essentials,” says John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager at Amazon. “That’s why we continue to invest and innovate to make Prime delivery even faster, placing products closer to customers so they can get what they need, when they need it.”
Prime first launched in the UK in 2007, offering free one-day delivery. Millions of the most popular items are now available to members with unlimited fast, free one-day delivery, with same-day delivery available on over a million items in more than 80 towns and cities across the UK (minimum order values apply). You can also select free delivery to Amazon lockers or counters or choose a delivery day preference with Amazon Day.
Amazon says that it continues to invest heavily in the UK and recently committed £40 billion over three years to expand and modernise its network. This includes expanding the online delivery of groceries and household essentials, with this area now representing one in three items ordered daily.
Other investment includes the recent launch of Amazon Now - a service offering thousands of groceries and household essentials delivered using electric assisted pedal bikes in approximately 30 minutes or less. The service is currently being tested in select postcodes in Southwark in London, with plans to roll-out further in the coming months.
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