RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ten ‘future of retail systems’ deployments from the past week, including blockchain powered reusable coffee cups, shoppable livestream events, checkout lines where slower is better and autonomous driving technology.

1. Asos

London-based esports performance brand, Fnatic, has announced a three-year, multi-million pound partnership with online fashion retailer Asos. 

As part of the deal, both brands will develop and deploy multiple online and offline activations.

Asos’ logo will appear on the front of all physical Fnatic team jerseys, including the upcoming League of Legends World Championship jersey, scheduled to be released next week.

The pair will collaborate on a variety of different activations, including content series with Fnatic pro talent and creators, such as Tekkz, Mushway, Loeya and Moonryde, alongside VR experiences and AR filters. 

2. Ted Baker

Ted Baker has launched Street Party Sessions, pitched as an immersive, digital first series of performances by British musicians Jungle, Joy Crookes, Little Simz, Bastille and Alicai Harley.

This will see Ted Baker partner with Eleven Studio and forms part of a wider initiative to support the British music industry as it begins to recover from the impact of the past 18 months.

The former will also be showcasing its new Autumn Winter ’21 collections across the aforementioned cast of musicians and performers. 

3. Google

4. Walmart

Walmart has teamed up with TV personality, author and cook Rachael Ray to co-host a shoppable livestream event that celebrated adopted pets and promoted her pet food line, Nutrish. 

On Wednesday, 29th September, Ray, her husband John, and their pup, Bella Boo Blue, hosted The UltiMutt Happy Hour on Walmart.com and Facebook Live, discussing their creation of Nutrish, their favourite products and The Rachael Ray Foundation.   

Viewers had the chance to preview and purchase products ranging from Nutrish food and treats to Rachael’s cookware line. They also got a sneak peak of Ray’s new cookbook, This Must Be The Place, and could pre-order ahead of its 26th October release.   

5. BitPay and Verifone

6. Jumbo

Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo has opened a chat checkout in Udenhout.

This is a checkout line where slower is better and people are encouraged to have a chinwag with an assistant as they’re paying for their groceries.

The first of these was opened in the summer of 2019. According to Jumbo, that was a huge success and now the time is right to expand the concept. 

7. Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group’s Xiaomanlv robots have delivered more than a million parcels in China within one year of their launch.

Wang Gang, Head of the Autonomous Driving Lab at Alibaba’s global research arm, DAMO Academy, says: “Xiaomanlv achieving over one million delivery orders is just the beginning. It’s laid the groundwork for the future development and application of our autonomous driving technology.”

8. Shopify

Canadian e-commerce platform giant Shopify has built an internal game that aims to make virtual hangouts more fun.

Shopify Party is pitched as an investment and experimentation in the future of remote work.

Daniel Beauchamp, Principal AR/VR Engineer, tweeted this week: “There are many tools for virtual hangouts, but most focus on using video chat to recreate the office experience.”

“We wanted to give people a break from video fatigue, and make a space designed for social play and being silly.”

9. Disney Parks and Amazon

10. Costa Coffee

Costa Coffee has launched a trial of a new blockchain technology powered reusable cup scheme called BURT. 

BURT – which stands for ‘Borrow, Use, Reuse, Take Back’ – started this week across 14 stores in Glasgow and will last for six months.