It’s Friday, Christmas is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail systems space. Here’s your briefing on the most important stories from the past five days, including Frasers Group, Decathlon, HMV, Boots, and the latest RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List.
1. Frasers Group teams with Lab Digital, Valtech and AND Digital on new MACH e-commerce platform and apps
Frasers Group is working on a new MACH e-commerce platform and consumer apps, with go live set for 2024.
In a LinkedIn post, David Clark, Group Digital Director at Frasers Group, whose brands include Sports Direct, Flannels, and Jack Wills, said: “Short hop to Utrecht today to meet our partners at Lab Digital, Valtech and AND Digital.”
“Very excited with the progress on our new MACH e-commerce platform and consumer apps. Coming to Frasers Group in 2024.”
“Building strong relationships and bringing together strengths of different partners can generate incredible results. Thanks for hosting us in your great office space Michiel Tielemans (Managing Director at Lab Digital).”
2. RTIH kicks off the nomination phase for its latest Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List
We’ll be bringing you the people who made a splash in 2023 and are set for a barnstorming 2024.
RTIH is scouring the retail technology world to find the most influential figures for this comprehensive list of people and trends that shape the industry and help drive it forward.
We’re living in unprecedented times.
The Covid-19 outbreak and cost-of-living crisis have driven a seismic change in shopping habits.
Whether it be augmented reality, artificial intelligence or advanced data analytics, we are seeing retailers taking innovative technologies and finding ways to use them to make checkout processes smoother, shelves smarter, and shopping experiences more exciting.
Which is where the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List comes in.
Such disruption requires new ways of problem solving and thought leaders who can both evangelise and execute on the likes of digital transformation and omnichannel success.
HOW DO WE IDENTIFY THE TOP 100?
We use a variety of sources to select our top 100, including feedback from industry observers, research within our own networks, direct or third party nominations via our website, and social media tools.
In addition to social presence, we also take into account award winners, event speakers, books published, media appearances, and people building innovative companies, solutions etc in the retail space.
Download the 2023 list in pdf format here.
Or read via Issuu.
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3. Decathlon wraps up deal with Be.EV for network of ultra-rapid chargers at stores in UK
Be.EV has partnered with sporting goods provider Decathlon to provide it with ultra-rapid EV charging at a number of stores across the UK.
The deal is Decathlon UK’s first partnership with a public charging network.
Sites are already in the pipeline across various stores in the UK, with Decathlon’s Stockport site being first across the line to receive a charging hub in April 2024. The store is one of the largest in the UK – spanning over 52,000 sq ft – and 16 ultra-rapid charging bays will be installed.
Decathlon Stockport receives up to 20,000 visitors per week, and is located minutes from the M60 – which sees an average of over 83,000 vehicles a day. Stockport has close to 2.700 registered electric vehicles.
4. Boots preps AI powered personal shopper that recommends lipsticks and beauty gifts
Boots is working on the launch of a ChatGPT personal shopper for its website which would be able to give customers recommendations on lipsticks and beauty gifts.
It is currently testing the chatbot with work on the tool set to be ramped up after Christmas.
Walgreens Boots Alliance owned Boots, which earlier this year announced plans to close 300 stores around the UK amidst a rise in online sales, has a partnership with Microsoft – the biggest investor of ChatGPT’s owners OpenAI – and already implements the chatbot in other areas of its business.
5. HMV goes live with Worldpay from FIS and FreedomPay solution at Dublin and Antwerp stores
Worldpay from FIS is expanding its relationship with music and entertainment retailer HMV to support its omnichannel focused European expansion.
Worldpay Omnichannel aims to give HMV greater flexibility and choice when it comes to improving its omnichannel strategy, across 34 geographic markets.
The solution brings together Worldpay’s e-commerce capabilities with FreedomPay’s commerce platform.
Through a single integration, Worldpay Omnichannel allows merchants to operate across borders and Point of Sale (PoS) providers, supporting both major and local card schemes, alongside local payment methods.
It will allow for synchronisation and tokenisation across multiple channels. It also enables access to multiple PoS providers, allowing merchants to maintain their preferred relationships with partner ecosystems.
Worldpay Omnichannel is now live in HMV’s Dublin and Antwerp stores and will be rolled out across Europe in the coming months.
Worldpay is supporting HMV’s European #Expansion with an enhanced #omnichannel strategy.
Read more: https://t.co/NOJnzB14lY
— Worldpay Global (@Worldpay_Global) December 21, 2023
6. Trigo to announce new partnerships and retail technology capabilities at NRF 2024 next month
Trigo, a provider of autonomous retail technology, including frictionless checkout, to the likes of REWE, Auchan, Tesco, Aldi and Netto, will be exhibiting at NRF 2024 next month, on booth 3112.
The company will announce an expansion of its partnership with REWE, which will see the opening of three new large format autonomous supermarkets in early 2024.
It will also announce details of new partnerships that will launch the company into new geographies and a new retail sector outside of grocery for the first time in 2024.
NRF 2024 will also serve as the launchpad for two major upgrades to Trigo’s technology platform.
7. AI driven warehouse and retail automation firm GreyOrange announces $135m Series D funding round
GreyOrange has announced the first close of its Series D funding, securing $135 million.
This was led by Anthelion Capital (formerly Cowen Sustainable Investments).
“Not only has GreyOrange automated the movement of goods within the warehouse, but the company has also built a network that optimises how retailers move their goods across their entire supply chain,” says Vusal Najafov, Co-Founder, Anthelion Capital.
“Their capability to improve operational efficiency in various settings and their innovative approach in transforming inventory into a more productive asset in warehouses and retail spaces are key reasons for our excitement in leading this funding round.”
The funding round also included existing investors such as Mithril, 3State Ventures, and Blume Ventures.
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