RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ‘future of retail’ systems launches and deployments from the past week, including autonomous grocery deliveries in Leeds, a virtual try-on shopping experience in airports, and a new Amazon Just Walk Out tech powered store in London.

Amazon and Whole Foods Market

Shoppers will be able to pay with their palms at all 500+ Whole Foods stores in the US by the end of the year.

The Amazon One service is currently available at more than 200 Whole Foods Market locations across the country, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Co-op and Starship Technologies

Co-op and Starship Technologies have announced the expansion of autonomous online grocery delivery services across more neighbourhoods in Leeds in collaboration with Leeds City Council.

Following a pilot launched last November - which saw 20,000 residents within the Adel and Tinshill area of Leeds have access to the offering - a further 12,000 households in the Kippax and Swarcliffe areas of the city will now be able to access Co-op groceries via robots.

Orders are placed through the Starship app, with residents in Kippax and Swarcliffe able to choose from a wide range of groceries which are picked fresh and then delivered locally from two local Co-op stores.

With a delivery fee starting from 99p, customers can order their delivery to arrive in under an hour and watch the robot travel in real-time via an interactive map. They will receive an alert when the robot arrives, and can meet and unlock it through the app.

Decathlon

Decathlon has developed a Smartsize tool for use on its e-commerce website.

In a LinkedIn post, Jerome Dubreuil, Global Chief Digital Officer, Executive Team member, said: “Has this ever happened to you? You order a shirt online, and when it arrives, it fits and looks completely different on you than it did on the model pictured on the website.”

“Don't worry, you're not alone. An Ipsos survey reveals that 59% of shoppers have experienced dissatisfaction with their online purchases for this exact reason.”

He added: “Recognising the challenges faced by online shoppers, we've developed the Smartsize tool. This intuitive tool, accessible on our e-commerce website, is designed to find the perfect fit for your body type.”

“Our data shows that without the Smartsize recommendation tool, the conversion rate drops by 3.5%. Already live in 25 countries, it reduces returns and helps us cut down on our carbon footprint.”

“Moreover, with 68,600,000 measurements gathered from 11 touch points and 7,150,000 members across 71 countries, we are improving the way we create our sports gear to be closer to our customers and provide them with the right sizes.”

“Shopping online has never been easier or more environmentally friendly.”

Ikea

SES-imagotag has entered into an agreement with Ikea to deploy its VUSION IoT Cloud platform and smart electronic shelf labels.

The first part of the contract spans over 110 stores in six European countries.

The roll-out builds on a partnership forged between the two companies over the past years.

LK Bennett

British fashion brand, LK Bennett, has teamed with True Fit, a platform that decodes size and fit for digital consumers, as it looks to increase conversion, reduce returns, and drive customer loyalty.

It will leverage True Fit’s Fashion Genome solution where recommendations are powered by the demographics, fit preferences, and transactional behavior of millions of global shoppers and enhanced by AI and continuous machine learning.

Freshippo

Dufry

Perfect Corp. has announced a collaboration with travel retailer, Dufry, providing in-store and web makeup virtual try-on for products from 15 brands.

In London Heathrow, London Stansted, Manchester and Barcelona, it is now possible to try products from the likes of Benefit, Kylie Cosmetics, Guerlain, and Huda Beauty.

Dufry plans to bring Perfect Corp. powered virtual try-on shopping experiences to more airports in the future.

Zippin

Here at RTIH, we’re big Tay Tay fans (or Swifties, if you prefer) so we always welcome the chance to feature our favourite American songstress on this site.

Thanks, then, to checkout-free stores firm Zippin, who posted the following tweet, ahead of a sold out Swift concert (part of her The Eras Tour) at Empower Field in Denver.

Ocado Retail

For the first time, Ocado customers will receive a 20p monetary reward for scanning and recycling packaging using their smartphones. 

The retailer has teamed up with Polytag and Bower to deliver the initiative.

Customers can scan a QR code printed onto Ocado’s own brand two and four pint milk bottles, which have just reduced in price to £1.45 and £1.20 respectively.

The first 20,000 codes scanned will see consumers receive a 20p reward which will appear in their digital wallet in the Bower app – the same amount that will be redeemed as a deposit in the upcoming Deposit Return Scheme legislation once it is rolled out in 2025. This 20p can then be withdrawn to their bank account.

Although consumers will not redeem a deposit – as it will not be added at the point of purchase – the partnership aims to demonstrate the viability of a DDRS by enabling people to receive a cash incentive for recycling using their smartphones.

Mattel

Amazon Fresh

Amazon Fresh is gearing up to open a checkout-free store at Moorgate in the City of London.

This will be situated next to a big Marks & Spencer store and not far from a Tesco GetGo autonomous location in Chiswell Street.

Amazon Fresh stores initially involved a customer scanning a code in the Amazon app at an entry barrier.

The barrier then opened, enabling people to enter, pick items and walk out, receiving a receipt shortly after leaving.

The ‘frictionless’ process has been rejigged, however, with the two most recent stores binning the entry gates, and instead requiring customers to scan the app or a payment card as they exit. The entry barrier has also been ditched at the Angel and Islington, London stores.

Amazon did not respond to our request for comment as to the Moorgate location’s set up.