MINISO taps K-pop and Sephora takes next step on TikTok: last week’s biggest retail technology plays
RTIH rounds up the stand out retail systems deals, launches, deployments and pilots from the past seven days. Including JD Sports, HyperFinity, H&M Group, Alcampo, Hanshow, Instacart, World Market, Hungry Howie's, Asda, Vusion, MediaMarkt Saturn, Morrisons, The Home Depot, and Sainsbury's.
Morrisons
NIQ and Morrisons have announced a collaboration involving analytics, omnichannel intelligence, and decision-making tools. By leveraging NIQ’s Full View approach, the UK grocery retailer says it is aiming to build “a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics across supermarkets, online grocery, convenience and emerging retail channels, allowing teams to identify growth opportunities and act with clarity and confidence”.
The tie up includes automated reporting capabilities and self-service analytics intended to streamline workflows and support agility across the business.
“Retailers today need the ability to seamlessly turn insight into action,” says Russell Sylvester, NIQ Retail Vertical Lead UK & IRE. “By combining market measurement, consumer intelligence, omnichannel analytics, and advanced capabilities within a single ecosystem, we aim to support Morrisons in building a robust platform for future growth.”
Jen Price, Customer Director at Morrisons, says: “We’re excited to be launching this new collaboration with NIQ, which will deliver product and category intelligence across the full breadth of our retail channels, unlocking value through great insights and helping us make the right decisions quickly, to drive our future growth.”
MINISO
MINISO, a lifestyle brand with over 8,200 stores across 112 countries and regions, offering the likes of IP collectibles and blind boxes, has launched a pop-up tour with K-pop star Lisa, kicking off in Thailand on 1st September before travelling to Japan and China in September, Indonesia in October, and United States in November, with Mexico set to join at a later date.
Lalisa Manobal, aka Lisa, rose to prominence as a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, which debuted in 2016 and went on to become one of the best selling girl groups of all time.
Her collection with MINISO features more than 70 items across categories including bags, apparel, blind boxes and lifestyle accessories. It also includes the Yoyo × Lisa Collection Vinyl Plush Suprise Box series, featuring MINISO’s own artist IP, YOYO. In addition to a global product lineup, exclusive regional items and limited edition releases will be introduced.
The aforementioned tour kicked off with the opening of an official pop-up store at retail and lifestyle destination ICONSIAM in Bangkok from 1st-24th September. This includes immersive experiences and large scale visual takeovers across more than 250 screens throughout the mall, alongside four multi-story banners suspended in the central atrium.
Ecommpay
With a focus on one off payments such as tips and donations, Ecommpay has launched QR Code Payment, providing a single static QR code which merchants can display anywhere, whether on a printed sign, a receipt, or a web page. Payment amounts can be preselected or set by the consumer, and payment can be made using any available method.
The QR code is created, customised and published directly from the Ecommpay dashboard without development or integration work or coding required. It is also delivered on a fully merchant branded hosted payment page.
“We have built QR Code Payments to make it quick and simple to send one-off payments - the digital equivalent to leaving a £5 note tucked under a glass when you leave the table or throwing a few coins into a collection bucket as it passes,” comments Artus Zaremba, Head of Payment Solutions, Ecommpay. “Fewer customers carry cash today, so servers and charities can miss out even if someone wants to leave a tip or make a donation. With QR Code Payment, merchants and charities can display a static QR code to help capture these payments.”
Alcampo
Chinese firm Hanshow is working with Alcampo (Auchan Retail), a Spanish grocery retailer, on the roll-out of electronic shelf labels across 84 supermarkets.
With more than 560,000 ESLs being deployed, the initiative will help eliminate approximately 1,843 km of paper price strips annually, avoiding an estimated 8.4 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year while supporting Alcampo's broader sustainability goals.
Beyond reducing paper consumption, ESLs provide a centralised platform for pricing and shelf-edge communication, helping ensure accurate and up-to-date product information across stores. The solution is also expected to reduce time spent on shelf-label updates and allow store teams to focus more on customer facing activities.
A spokesperson for Hanshow says: “We're delighted to partner with Alcampo as it continues to modernise store operations and advance a more sustainable retail environment.”
JD Sports
HyperFinity has partnered with JD Sports to design and deliver a personalisation programme that aims to equip the retailer with a clear evidence base for its loyalty strategy.
It has designed a personalisation engine and trialled this to build a framework for JD Sports UK. The solution was trialled to prove: The value of ‘buy again’ category offers to assess how active customers respond to identify the optimal spend multiplier incentives; The optimal incentive mix for high and low spenders for cash-based rewards versus spend multipliers; The ability to drive incremental basket spend through cross-sell offers aligned to previous purchase history, testing product affinity and which category follow-ons drive incremental spend.
According to those involved, the trials established that relevance consistently outperforms simply increasing incentive value, and that higher spenders respond better to spend multipliers, while lower spenders react similarly to both. Alongside this, they identified that campaign spacing must be tailored to individual behaviour to avoid offer fatigue.
The partnership delivered a significant material impact on topline performance, including an uplift in total in-store loyalty sales across JD Sports UK during the trial period. Based on the results, JD Sports has identified a multi-million pound opportunity to grow in-store loyalty sales within the first year of scaling the programme.
In addition to the analysis, HyperFinity delivered a suite of assets, including measurement dashboards, customer segmentations, campaign templates, and product seasonality and affinity insights, enabling JD Sports to continue building on the programme.
Minor Hotels
Checkout.com has announced a partnership with Minor Hotels, a hospitality group with more than 640 hotels across 67 countries. This involves it providing global acquiring and payment optimisation capabilities for Minor Hotels’ resort properties across multiple markets worldwide.
The partnership will also bring together Checkout.com’s Intelligent Acceptance and Dynamic 3DS Authentication capabilities. Intelligent Acceptance is the FinTech’s AI driven engine that enhances the performance of transactions and is powered by global network intelligence. It maximises first attempt approvals and reduces failed transactions. Dynamic application of 3DS authentication is based on issuer preferences and local regulatory requirements, reducing unnecessary friction for guests.
Anthony Green, Global Head of Digital Marketing and Ecommerce at Minor Hotels, says: “As our portfolio continues to grow across markets, we need payment infrastructure that is reliable, flexible and able to support a premium experience for our guests. Checkout.com’s global acquiring capabilities and payments expertise will help us simplify complexity, improve performance and build a stronger foundation for our next phase of growth.”
H&M Group
GreyOrange reports that more than 3,800 retail locations globally now run on its technology, with the likes of H&M Group using its inventory software gStore.
The AI powered platform, which includes merchandising software and connects with technologies such as RFID (radio frequency identification) readers and smart mirrors, has managed approximately 200 million retail inventory items across live deployments.
It uses sensor agnostic technology, including overhead or handheld RFID readers, to locate specific inventory items to within three to five feet. It connects with sales data to inform retailers which SKUs sell the fastest and which get abandoned in fitting rooms, where to place products to optimise sales, and when stock is running low. This real-time inventory “heat map” helps associates quickly replenish shelves and find items for customers.
“Many of the world’s largest retailers run their core operations on GreyOrange. Their scale, operational complexity, and willingness to co-develop the future of omnichannel technology rather than simply adopt it have helped us shape how our platform performs,” says Akash Gupta, Co-founder and CEO at GreyOrange. “We’ve reached this milestone of 3,800 stores live thanks to customers like H&M Group, whose deep partnership empowers us to keep building physical AI solutions that fit how busy retailers operate.”
Sephora
Sephora has announced its debut on TikTok Shop. Piloting in the United States from 19th September, its Drop Shop experience will feature exclusive monthly drops, showcasing curated products from some of Sephora's most popular partner brands. Each featured brand will have a dedicated moment to bring its products to life, tell its story and connect with new audiences.
Each drop will include teasers, interactive experiences, and creator led content, encouraging consumers to guess the brand in the spotlight. The experience will culminate in an official TikTok LIVE with a celebrity host, brand founders, and creators to unveil the featured products, answer audience questions, engage with viewers in real-time, and showcase products available for purchase on TikTok Shop during the LIVE.
“Beauty discovery has always been core to Sephora’s ethos, and the rise of social commerce and digital marketplaces have reinforced the need to evolve how we engage with our beauty lovers. We already have an incredibly active beauty community on TikTok, so we are excited to take the next step and pilot the Sephora Drop Shop on TikTok Shop. This platform gives us a new way to interact with our existing customers, while extending our reach to a highly immersed beauty audience. Importantly, the launch signifies a natural progression in how we continue to lead and innovate in beauty retail,” says Artemis Patrick, President and CEO at Sephora North America.
Products featured in each monthly drop will launch exclusively through Sephora's TikTok Shop, with select items later rolling out to Sephora.com, in selected Sephora stores or through other retail partners. During the exclusive launch window, customers will still be able to preview the products on the Sephora site ahead of their wider availability.
World Market
Instacart and World Market have announced a new partnership. Through the Instacart Marketplace, World Market's assortment will be available for same-day delivery in as fast as one hour with no markups. Instacart is the retailer’s first and exclusive online same-day delivery partner.
"World Market has built an incredibly loyal following of customers who love discovering something new every time they walk through the door, and we're thrilled to bring that same feeling of discovery directly to their homes for the first time with the speed and convenience of same-day delivery," says Ryan Hamburger, Chief Commercial Officer at Instacart. "As the only online marketplace offering a wide variety of World Market products for delivery in as fast as an hour, we're proud to help customers get the things they love - from internationally inspired foods and beverages to unique, imported home decor."
"Partnering with Instacart is an exciting new chapter for World Market and a natural extension of our commitment to making the World Market experience as accessible and convenient as possible for our customers," says Eric Hunter, Chief Executive Officer at World Market. "Our stores are filled with inspiring finds from around the globe, and now, customers can have that same curated assortment delivered to their doorstep the same day. We couldn't be more excited to bring this convenience to both longtime World Market customers and to connect with an entirely new set of customers who are discovering us for the first time."
Lindas Dekor
StrongPoint has signed an agreement to deliver an AutoStore system for Lindas Dekor, a Norwegian online store and family business specialising in simple, affordable home improvement products.
The automated solution developed by StrongPoint combines the warehouse system itself with software to provide the retailer with increased efficiency, improved scalability, and long-term performance in e-commerce logistics. The solution comprises a capacity of 6,000 bins, two VersaPorts, and six robots.
Hungry Howie’s
Cartwheel, an AI powered delivery platform for restaurants, reports that Hungry Howie’s Pizza is adopting its Hybrid Delivery technology across its stores. Following a pilot, it is progressing with a phased roll-out across its nearly 500-location system, with all locations targeted to be live by Q2 2027.
The partnership builds on a broader technology modernisation Hungry Howie's set in motion earlier this year, extending that work from digital ordering into how orders actually get to the door.
Hybrid Delivery gives franchisees a single view of in-house and third-party delivery, with fulfillment powered by DoorDash Drive. It prioritises in-house fleets based on configurable factors such as proximity to the store, order value and driver availability, then automatically routes to third-party drivers when demand peaks. Operators can see every driver in real-time from one place, while automated rules handle the manual work required to coordinate delivery capacity.
McCain
As Brits headed to parks to enjoy a sunny bank holiday Monday this week, McCain was on hand to provide picnickers with free portions of its Crispy French Fries product. These were delivered by a Hussel drone at Brockwell Park in London from 11am to 6pm.
All fries were prepared in a controlled food truck environment, with no barbecues, open flames, or outdoor frying used in the park.
Laura Koscik, a spokesperson for McCain, says: "Tasty, crispy chips at a picnic? What an upgrade! We launched The Fry Drop to make Brits’ bank holiday picnics even more enjoyable in a fun and unexpected way. With a little help from our drones, we’re taking air frying to new heights, showing that delicious fries can make any get together even better.”
TheCode
Luxury fashion marketplace Love the Sales has rebranded to TheCode and relaunched with more than 100,000 curated styles across menswear, womenswear and accessories. TheCode is an invite only marketplace, with partners selected according to product quality, positioning and their adjacency to the wider assortment.
The aim here is to create a coherent fashion destination rather than an indiscriminate marketplace built around volume alone. A membership proposition is on the cards, offering benefits including early access to selected events and collections.
For brands and retailers, the venture says it offers a data led environment for reaching relevant customers, generating incremental demand and managing selected inventory separately from owned, full price channels. This allows partners to keep their core customers focused on new-season collections while placing surplus inventory within a distinct and considered environment.
Proprietary AI technology is designed to optimise how and when products are surfaced, helping partners minimise markdowns and maximise financial returns. AI powered onboarding, automated stock management and intelligent marketing also make it easier for partners to sell through the platform with minimal ongoing management.
“A large assortment only becomes valuable when customers can navigate it effectively. Our proprietary AI technology helps us understand product relevance, recognise intent and create a more individual edit for every shopper,” says David Bishop, Co-founder and CTO at TheCode. “Technology allows us to manage complexity for both customers and partners. The aim is not simply to show customers more products, but to help them discover the right products, and to help our partners achieve the right commercial outcome.”
Asda
Asda has completed the roll-out of eSELs across its Asda Express petrol stations, Asda Express locations and Asda petrol station estate, with the deployment covering over 550 stores.
In a LinkedIn post, Anthony McCarron, Projects, Propostions & Comms Manager at Asda, said: "This is a massive achievement across so many internal and external stakeholders, so thank you - big shout to Daniel Pelissier for leading this project from start to finish on time and on budget."
"Our Vusion eSELs, installed by our delivery partner Renovotec, are delivering a real step change for customers and colleagues. Thank you to Elecomm, MADIC UK, and Evolve for the infrastructure support in achieving this huge milestone for our convenience stores."
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's is rolling out radio frequency identification (RFID) technology across its TU clothing departments in approximately 400 stores, with the project set for completion by early September.
This follows a pilot earlier this year, which enabled the retailer to improve its stock level visibility, speed up replenishment and manage stock more efficiently.
“Really proud of my team and the role they’ve played in deploying this project across our stores. A huge amount of work, collaboration and energy behind the scenes to bring this to life,” says Gillian Ekin, Head of Transformation and Operational Development at Sainsbury’s.
RTIH has reached out to Sainsbury’s regarding specifics of the implementation, such as suppliers involved, and we will update this article when we receive a response.
The Home Depot
The Home Depot has announced the US wide roll-out of new in-store capabilities for Magic Apron, its Al powered shopping assistant. Customers can open it in the retailer’s mobile app or scan a QR code on in-store signage.
"Customers come to The Home Depot for expert guidance, and we know they want their shopping experience to be easy and efficient," says Jordan Broggi, EVP of Interconnected Retail. "Magic Apron takes the best of our digital expertise and brings it into the physical store, creating a more connected shopping experience that helps customers find products, get project guidance and make decisions faster. Our associates remain at the centre of the shopping experience, and Magic Apron gives customers another way to access guidance and support while they're in our stores."
This is the Holy Grail of omnichannel retail, according to Michael Guzzetta, Retail Innovation & Strategy Leader at Cookie Plug San Antonio, and a former H-E-B executive.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: “It's moments like these when an AI assistant stops being just another digital feature and starts making physical promises a reality. Customers can ask questions by text, voice, or image. Then, Magic Apron can provide project guidance, check local availability, and even point someone to a specific aisle and bay. The model is the visible part for the customer, but the harder job will be for the back end teams to keep several operating systems honest at the same time: Local inventory; Aisle and bay mapping; Product compatibility; Store specific knowledge; The handoff to an associate when the answer is incomplete or wrong.”
He added: “Anyone who has worked around store systems knows that “aisle 14, bay 6” isn’t just a helpful customer answer... It’s a promise built on receiving, stocking, planogram changes, shrink, inventory accuracy, and whatever happened on the floor ten minutes ago. Now zoom out to a nationwide scale and the important questions change."
"How quickly does local reality reach the assistant? How does an associate correct a bad answer? Who owns the recovery when the guidance is technically sound but the product isn’t actually there?”
Magic Apron is compelling because it connects advice to the physical store, Guzzetta argues. Its biggest test will be how often the store can keep the promise its digital friend just made.
Mediamarkt Saturn
Mediamarkt Saturn has opened its tenth Tech Village, with the latest one being located in Cologne, Germany. In a LinkedIn post, Guido Monferrini, EVP and Regional CEO, said: “In 2020, we opened the very first Tech Village in Milan. This week marked an exciting new milestone: Tech Village Cologne is officially open!”
He added: “As our 10th Tech Village in Europe, it is built on years of experience, learnings and continuous innovation. One of our greatest challenges was to refresh and redefine the concept, transforming it into a modern, inspiring environment that reflects our future vision and serves as the blueprint for future European Tech Villages.”
“At its core, it is all about experience: we want to offer everyone the opportunity to discover and engage with the most cutting-edge, immersive technology. By combining inspirational experiences with personal consultation and seamless service, we build what matters most: lasting trust with our customers.”
Key features: A redesigned in-house store concept with a tech driven layout, large format digital media surfaces, and an atmospheric lighting design; Immersive 3D experiences bringing products and technology to life alongside 31 brand boutiques; Integrated Xperion: Bringing a 1,000+ sqm gaming destination and 200-seat arena under the same roof.
Monferrini concluded: “Bringing a vision of this scale to life is a demanding and complex undertaking. The successful realisation of this project is the result of the dedication, expertise, creativity and teamwork demonstrated throughout every phase of the journey. A heartfelt thank you to my concept and construction team and to the German team for their fantastic collaboration on this remarkable achievement.”
