RTIH September - November 2022

September – November 2022 · No. 02

Retail Technology Innovation Hub THE TIME FOR 3D IS NOW 3D Cloud by Marxent lays out five reasons why savvy retailers are growing their investment in 3D visualisation technologies

Sharing data with retailers

FreedomPay and Cornell University research highlights Gen Z consumer attitudes on data privacy

Interview:

Kantar’s Celia Van Wickel talks rapid delivery, the metaverse, drones, and autonomous retail

What can high street retailers learn from the last few years?

Covid vs the cost of living crisis – which has a bigger impact on retail?

Five ways DTC brands can adapt to uncharted territory

open for entries The fourth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards is now live The event, sponsored by PMC, 3D Cloud

by Marxent, CADS, and Critizr, celebrates global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Deadline for submissions is 4th November, with winners being announced at an exclusive

event in central London during December.

It’s free to enter and you can make submissions across multiple categories, covering the likes of physical stores, payments, e-commerce, startups, supply chain, customer service excellence, and omnichannel retail.

Scott Thompson, Editor and Founder of RTIH, says: “Innovation and technology play a critical role in the success of the retail sector, so it is great to recognise standout examples through our awards.”

“I’m excited to launch the fourth edition.

The 2022 event will be the biggest and best yet.”

Further information on the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards can be found at:

https://retailtechinnovationhub.com/rtih-innovation-awards

Contents Comment

2

2022 RTIH Innovation Awards

4

Editor’s letter

6

10 26

14

What can high street retailers learn from the last few years?

24

Five ways DTC brands can adapt to uncharted territory

28

Covid vs the cost of living crisis – which has a bigger impact on retail?

34

Rapid grocery delivery: Tesco Whoosh reviewed

Leigh Davidson, Managing Director - UK, Europe and International at 3D Cloud by Marxent, lays out five reasons why savvy retailers are investing in 3D visualisation technologies.

New research from FreedomPay and Cornell University highlights Gen Z consumer attitudes on data privacy Startup Stories: Daniel Hemsley, Co-founder, The Beagle Button

Interviews

18

20

30

Pete Howroyd

Sarah Curran

Supply chain consultant and former Amazon exec

Sr. Director, Digital Commerce, Kantar

Founder and CEO at Swapi

NED at French Connection and MD EMEA at True Fit

Brittain Ladd

Celia Van Wickel

32

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

3

SAVE THE DATE 25-26 April 2023

The 2023 Retail Technology Show will bring together the world’s most innovative solution providers with leading retailers and brands from across the UK and Europe.

Navigate your future success through tech and digital innovations: LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY

ECOMMERCE GROWTH & OMNICHANNEL

CUSTOMER OBSESSION & MARKETING

SUPPLY CHAIN & DELIVERY

PAYMENTS & CHECKOUT

Source hundreds of suppliers to find the best retail tech solutions Benefit from a cutting-edge conference programme tackling the most pertinent issues in the industry Hear from industry experts sharing the very latest insight, analysis and case studies from retail Network with the industry face-to-face Step into the Discovery Zone to find solutions you have never seen before View the Innovation Awards to reveal the best tech innovation at the show Explore the Start-Up Safari to see innovative tech start-ups that are giving retailers the edge Join the BIG Retail Party to celebrate with the industry

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST: www.RETAILTECHNOLOGYSHOW.COM Join the conversation and follow us for updates 4

November 2012 · CORP. Magazine

@RetailTechShow #RTS2023 |

retail-technology-show

Editor’s letter

Retail Technology Innovation Hub

Launched as on online only title five years ago, RTIH is branching out into the physical world.

ON THE COVER The latest from 3D Cloud by Marxent and FreedomPay

ISSUE September – November 2022 EDITOR AND FOUNDER Scott Thompson Tel: 07528 807353 Email: scott.thompson@retailtechinnovationhub.com Website: www.retailtechinnovationhub.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/RTIH_RetailTech CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mike Cadden Shimona Mehta Andy Mulcahy John Thompson PRINTED BY The Manson Group 8 Porters Wood Valley Road Industrial Estate St Albans AL3 6PZ UK Tel: 0800 118 2871 Email: enquiries@mansongroup.co.uk GRAPHIC DESIGN Steve Kelly Concept Graphics Tel: 07734 264835 Email: steve@conceptstudio.co.uk © 2022 RTIH

W

elcome to the second print edition of Retail Technology Innovation Hub. I launched RTIH (as those into the whole brevity thing like to call it) in 2017 and it is now a leading website for the global omnichannel retail technology community.

So it was with great excitement that I introduced RTIH in magazine format at Retail Technology Show earlier this year, and, in the process, connected with even more retail tech buyers, suppliers and enthusiasts.

This latest edition is being distributed at eCommerce Expo 2022 (taking place from 28th-29th September at ExCel London) and IRX @ DTX + UTX (12th-13th October at ExCel London).

So you won’t be surprised to hear that it focuses on the online retail space.

E-commerce boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic as many physical stores closed due to restrictions and lockdowns.

But, to quote Michael Keaton in the Christmas cracker that is Batman Returns, things change.

Online sales declined for the first time this year. Inflation is hitting hard, and consumers are pulling back on purchases amid worries about a recession ahead.

It’s no great surprise that shoppers are returning to bricks and mortar stores in these post-Covid times. But rather than pitting one against the other, it’s critical for retailers and brands to merge the shopping experience across both digital and physical spaces.

Online is forcing retailers to make better use of their stores. For example, fulfilling online orders from physical locations.

It’s also important for bricks and mortar retailers to emulate a frictionless online experience.

Checkout-free locations are, for instance, the embodiment of putting the customer first. And that’s exactly what Amazon is striving to achieve with its Just Walk Out technology, as are other notable players in this area (take a bow AiFi, Trigo and Zippin).

OK, that’s enough from me, other than to say I hope you enjoy reading this magazine. Let me know your thoughts at the email below.

Scott Thompson Editor & Founder, RTIH scott.thompson@retailtechinnovationhub.com

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

5

3D visualisation technology

the time for

3d is now

Leigh Davidson, Managing Director - UK, Europe and International at 3D Cloud by Marxent, lays out five reasons why savvy retailers are investing in 3D visualisation technologies.

T

hese are uncertain times. Shoppers are weighing their options more carefully and taking longer to make decisions, but they are still actively planning furniture, kitchen, bath, and decking projects with the intent to buy.

Retailers that invested in 3D visualisation prior to the downturn are netting high quality leads now while preparing for the future of immersive retail experiences.

When it comes to 3D, it’s time to lean in The economy has dips and bubbles. Always has. Those of us who have lived through enough of them know that tech will emerge victorious and the market will come back.

3D is a solid investment, delivering return on investment today while providing building blocks for retail’s future state - including the metaverse. When retail roars back, retailers who have invested in 3D will be poised to win.

There’s no way to control the macroeconomic environment itself, so perspective is everything.

Why 3D, why now?

When the market is uncertain, decision-making on major purchases slows. Most consumers are worried about energy prices, so fantasies of upgrading a home, a new car, holidays or even a fresh pair of trainers are sadly not within reach.

What is harder to see is that even though the consideration phase may last longer for furniture and home improvement projects, the projects still exist and people are still thinking about buying - which, of course, is the natural precursor to actually buying.

Enterprise retailers looking to invest in 3D are also making thoughtful choices. Even so, waiting too long to invest in the next generation of retail customer experiences means a struggle to catch up long after the downturn has been forgotten.

Simply put, if you’re waiting for things to get better, you are already behind.

The good news is that it’s faster and easier to start than you think. Here are five reasons enterprise retailers are prioritising 3D tech investments during the downturn:

1. Purchase planning is alive and well Consumers are clearly anxious but they are still planning future purchases. Over the past three months, we’ve seen almost no drop-off in the usage of our 3D Room Planner suite of tools, such as our kitchen and storage planners.

It’s true that people are taking longer to buy, but they are still planning major purchases.

2. Conversion is king Conversion rates online and in-store are more critical than ever. Among furniture retailers, we have seen sessions drop but conversion on augmented reality product views is up as much as 377% year over year to the tune of millions of dollars in sales.

Yes, you read that correctly. Less overall volume, much higher conversion rates. AR is working. More impressively, 3D product configurators for the home are seeing a combination of higher volume of usage, doubled conversion rates and +25% AOV.

The John Lewis & Partners 3D visualisation app for home design appointments.

6

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

3D visualisation technology 3. Dwell time and differentiation

Get started quickly before you get behind

The more 3D shopping tools, the more positive engagement. Retailers with multiple 3D shopping or project planning experiences deployed to support the buying journey see cross-tool utilisation that naturally leads to more dwell time engaging with brands and products.

It’s simple, the more engaging 3D tools, more time on site and more value add store minutes and hours.

Advancing 3D initiatives doesn’t require a big team.

Operating responsibly during a downturn can include figuring out how to advance major initiatives with fewer employees.

Choosing stable, proven, retail tech vendors who offer you that flexibility can make 3D initiatives possible without adding headcount. If you think you need to hire a big team and do it yourself, think again.

While it makes total sense to focus on today and survive the current downturn, continued sensible investment in the future is what will separate retailers who merely survive from retailers who will thrive on the other side.

Because there is another side. Things will pick up and those with 3D initiatives and evergreen 3D libraries will prove victorious.

4. The more time spent, the more quality the lead Shoppers who contact design studios spend double the amount of time in 3D design tools such as our 3D Room Planner before they buy. On average, quality leads spend 60 minutes using 3D design tools prior to requesting an appointment.

Once they contact design services, they have a better idea of what they want and are ready to buy. Bonus: they spend up to 40% more when they checkout.

5. Millennial homeowners are hungry for 3D tools While home ownership has barely increased over the past decade, there are hopes of a housing revolution to help the eager wave of younger and more property-savvy generation of homebuyers.

Among Millennials and even Gen-Z, research shows that many are looking to buy and refurbish a house themselves, according to a recent study from Moveable, a property concierge platform. This audience is used to doing everything online. They will look for houses online and want to furnish and remodel their homes with online tools.

About 3D Cloud by Marxent Trusted by top furniture and home improvement retailers in the US, UK, Europe, and Australasia, 3D Cloud by Marxent offers the only scalable, secure, and proven, 3D PIM and CMS platform purpose built for retailers and manufacturers.

• • •

Full suite of 3D apps Enterprise class 3D PIM & CMS Launch in just eight to ten weeks

To request a demo, visit 3Dcloud.com or email Leigh Davidson at leigh@marxent.com Retailers that invested in 3D visualisation prior to the downturn are netting high quality leads now while preparing for the future of immersive retail experiences.

One platform, every 3D commerce journey.

Enterprise 3D for furniture and home improvement retailers.

8

November 2012 · CORP. Magazine

3D Cloud™ by Marxent has helped top furniture and home improvement retailers achieve over $3 billion in 3D-enabled sales.

Create great customer experiences without hiring a dedicated team.

Find out how it works today at www.marxent.com 9 CORP. Magazine · November 2012

FreedomPay

NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

GEN Z CONSUMER ATTITUDES ON DATA PRIVACY Gen Z consumers are more willing to share biometric info than details from their social media accounts with retailers.

10

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

FreedomPay Young consumers are more likely to share personal details if they received a reward in exchange for their data.

A

new report* from payments platform FreedomPay and Cornell University has found that young consumers are more likely to share personal details if they received a reward in exchange for their data.

The effectiveness of this tactic, however, was dependent on the perceived importance of the data. The report has helped uncover valuable insights about Gen Z and how they think about data and their threshold for sharing it.

Gen Z are more reluctant to share personal data with third parties than Millennials are, making it harder for retailers to collect their customer data. While they are privacy oriented and have clear priorities on what information they wish to share, there are also clear opportunities for retailers and merchants to reach these consumers with the right mix of promotions.

The research is based on a survey of 200 Cornell University Gen Z students, defined as those born in 1995 or later. Data privacy is increasingly top of mind for both regulators and consumers, with more government policies addressing data tracking and sharing.

Survey participants were first asked about their willingness to share 15 different data types, on a scale of one to six from “very unlikely to share” to “very likely to share.”

These data items were then sorted by low, medium, and high privacy levels.

For instance, gender, name, and age were perceived to have a low privacy level, with an average willingness to share above 5.0.

Respondents were also more willing to share their email addresses than phone numbers, with an average willingness of 4.76 to 4.04, although both ranked low on the privacy scale.

The medium privacy level included data such as shopping preference, shopping history, biometrics, expected monthly expense,

Consumer data is crucial for brands and retailers looking to learn more about shoppers and leverage more personalised offerings.

PRIVACY LEVEL

LOW

MEDIUM

HIGH

DATA ITEMS

AVERAGE WILLINGNESS

Gender

5.24

Name

5.09

Age

5.09

Email Address

4.76

Date of Birth

4.59

Phone Number

4.04

Shopping Preference

3.40

Shopping History

3.36

Biometrics

3.31

Expected Monthly Expense

3.03

Income

2.91

Social Media Account

2.78

GPS Location

1.95

Social Security Number

1.74

Medical Record

1.71

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

11

FreedomPay income, and social media accounts. Gen Z consumers were more likely to share biometric information than their social media accounts, with an average willingness of 3.31 to 2.78.

Data including GPS location, Social Security Number and medical records were associated with high privacy and allow willingness to share.

A £12 reward incentive had the most impact on Gen Zers’ willingness to share medium level privacy details.

The reward made these consumers 27% more likely to share medium privacy information, such as biometrics or shopping history, and 24% more likely to share high privacy data such as medical history.

The monetary reward had the most minimal impact on low privacy data, providing an 11% boost. The discrepancy is likely in part because most consumers are already inclined to share details such as their gender and name.

When offered a reward Gen Zers’ willingness to share data increases across the three privacy categories: • • •

11% more likely to share low privacy data 27% likely to share medium privacy information 24% more likely to share high privacy data

Additionally, the research revealed preferences in terms of the rewards offered for sharing information: • • •

• •

Participants prefer cash discount to loyalty points (at 69% and 31% respectively) They are likely to choose loyalty points if that value is 20x greater than cash discount value For those Gen Zers who prefer loyalty points, food & beverage was the most preferred category (at 44%) The least popular options include debit cards, petrol, grocery stores, and the hospitality industry Other participants were likely to choose food & beverage and retailers equally

To encourage consumers to opt for points, a brand or retailer would need to offer loyalty points valued at 20 times greater than the cash discount. Those who prefer loyalty points are most likely to redeem them in the food and beverage industry.

Consumer data is crucial for brands and retailers looking to learn more about shoppers and leverage more personalised offerings.

When it comes to e-commerce, brands and retailers are hampered because their owned sites do not offer the convenience, customer history or data driven recommendations that Amazon or search engines

12

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

Shoppers are not making it easy on retailers, as many expect both privacy and personalisation.

like Google offer, according to a report from Search Platform Coveo.

Shoppers are not making it easy on retailers, as many expect both privacy and personalisation. Nearly six in ten consumers are concerned about how their data is being used by retailers and 40% remain anonymous during checkout.

As Generation Z highly values data privacy but shows a willingness to exchange data containing limited personal information for monetary rewards, this presents an opportunity for companies like FreedomPay to generate value from data to better serve both retailers and consumers alike. *Download Effects of Monetary Rewards and Data Privacy Levels on Generation Z’s Willingness to Share Personal Data here: https://corporate.freedompay.com/ whitepapers/effects-of-monetary-rewards-and-dataprivacy-levels-on-generation-zs-willingness-to-sharepersonal-data/

About the author Liesl Smith is Senior Vice President Marketing & Sales Enablement at FreedomPay

FreedomPay’s fully integrated commerce technology empowers retailers to offer a secure, personalised, and omnichannel consumer experience. Our single, unified platform provides rich data insights to support your long-term customer relationships.

In-store, eCommerce, contactless, and digital wallet capabilities enable a fast and flexible payment process.

Comment

What can high street retailers learn from the last few years?

Bricks and mortar retailers are now realising the power that m-commerce can bring in-store.

There is no doubt that, over the last few years, high street retailers have suffered whilst online retailers saw a boom.

14

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

Comment

W

Consumers are now used to friction free shopping online; they are looking for the same frictionless engagement in every touchpoint with the retailer.

ith stores closed, consumers were forced to move online to buy their essentials/ convenience goods as well as the luxuries that were traditionally the preserve of offline to help them through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some commentators saw this as the death of the physical store; whilst other more pragmatic heads felt that although the shift to online would continue, the physical store would remain the primary channel for many retailers for a considerable time yet. With the return to a semblance of normality it appears that those more pragmatic heads are the wiser ones.

For now, consumers are returning to the high street.

There is no doubt that online and mobile will continue to grow, but as Steve Dennis says in his book Remarkable Retail, hybrid retail will be the future.

That doesn’t mean a mix of channels, i.e. online vs offline, but rather using online for part of the journey and the physical store for the rest.

But the high street cannot sit back yet. Pureplays have shown they can innovate and react faster than legacy, omnichannel retailers. With the rise of marketplaces and the explosive growth of online circular economy startups, the traditional store is under more threat than ever.

Fortunately, there are still many lessons for the high street retailer to learn from their online brethren and from the reactions, both consumer and within wider retail, to the last

two years. Human behaviour has changed, and it’s likely the change is permanent.

The first is the old boy scout staple, be prepared. It may be a little twee, and whilst hindsight is a wonderful thing, black swan events are going to become more common and retailers, of all stripes, need to be more prepared to deal with them.

From a technology perspective this means dealing now with legacy tech. Technical debt will prevent organisations from being able to respond to market and socioeconomic changes at pace. They cannot move forward hauling a huge anchor behind them. Pureplay retailers, generally having built modern stacks without this weight have been able to react far quicker than older competitors.

Whilst this wasn’t new when the pandemic hit, the ability of some of these retailers to accelerate innovation has shown the challenges that legacy debt enforces on you. But it’s not just the technical debt that is holding organisations back. Legacy thinking, slow decision making processes, the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset is as limiting.

To be able to take advantage of the lessons from the last few years and also to take advantage of future changes in consumer behaviour legacy retailers need not just to change their tech, then need to change their cultures.

Secondly, seamless customer experience. Almost since the birth of e-commerce, successful retailers have focused intently on making the entire customer journey as simple, as effortless

as possible. Any friction can result in basket abandonment.

Bricks and mortar retailers are now realising the power that m-commerce can bring in-store.

The EPoS interaction point has always been a completely wasteful point of friction. Other than that mandatory transfer of ownership of goods in one direction and cash in the other, there is no benefit to anyone.

Consumers hate queuing, especially with intrusive product placement or advertising along the way, and for retailers it’s a manpower intensive and costly transaction. Traditionally it’s been needed, but never liked.

The pandemic showed all bar the most tech phobic that browsing, ordering, and paying online, and especially on your mobile device, is safe and simple. The rise of contactless, or mobile-based checkout, across retail is taking this comfort with mobile and showing that consumers will utilise online technology in a physical environment if the convenience is there.

Many of the changes we have seen through the pandemic were already fully in existence prior to it. What we have seen is an increase in the adoption of emerging technology as well as a reduction of resistance to new ways of engaging. Just look at the massive shift to contactless/ card payments from March 2020 onwards.

Whilst the move away from cash was already underway, the pandemic accelerated it and now some commentators are predicting a cashless society by 2026. This is one trend that offers more opportunities for the high street than the online

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

15

Comment shopper, with more consumers now using mobile wallets there is a significant opportunity for retailers to take advantage of this trend.

Combining mobile wallets, loyalty programmes and mobile ordering/pickup in-store to drive both increased footfall and engagement. Bringing online levels of convenience to high street retailers and allowing them to compete with their competition though the large amounts of enhanced data available.

Environmentalism and the cost of living crisis are also driving a new area of retail. The circular economy or pre-loved goods. Whilst strictly not new, there is a large amount of investment flowing into this area and some large retailers, the likes of Decathlon and their new rental programme, are looking

seriously at what they can do.

Others such as Primark are investing in “take-back” schemes.

Whilst these programmes are undoubtedly good for the planet, for the high street retailer they can form a powerful central pillar to building a loyalty experience that converts customers to fans and not just consumers. Such initiatives, when properly aligned with brand values and the consumer’s own personal values, are powerful tools in creating long-term and strong relationships with the customer base.

To take advantage of these new opportunities, retailers need to both transform and simplify their IT environments now. Not just look to new “digital” technologies.

Transformation needs to be about more than just tech, retailers need to reframe their entire processes from the

outside in, looking at the new mobile centric consumer not as an outlier in their consumer profiles but rather their primary profile and at the centre of their customer journey.

As mentioned above, consumers are now used to friction free shopping online; they are looking for the same frictionless engagement in every touchpoint with the retailer.

Fortunately, both the consumer and the retailer have the tool at, quite literally, their fingertips to facilitate this new, frictionless commerce. If they are willing to invest to grab the opportunities.

About the author: Mike Cadden is an experienced retail IT director and CIO with 25 years’ experience running technology teams and strategic delivery for many leading UK and international retailers.

Environmentalism and the cost of living crisis are driving a new area of retail, with the likes of Primark investing in “take-back” schemes.

16

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List interview

Brittain Ladd

As part of a series of interviews with those who made it on to the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List, we discuss online retail winners, losers, challenges, and opportunities, with Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon exec.

RTIH: How would you summarise the current state of the online retail sector in these post-Covid and cost of living crisis times?

BL: Stores matter more than ever as consumers are enjoying the flexibility of shopping online and in their favourite bricks and mortar shops. However, as the economy worsens, consumers will be seeking out bargains and overlooking high end merchandisers.

RTIH: The future is digital, but stores will play a key role in the overall customer experience. Would you agree or disagree?

BL: I agree. I’ve stated since 2010 that online retail won’t replace stores, it will force retailers to make better use of their stores. For example, fulfilling online orders from stores.

18

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

RTIH: You can’t discuss online retail without mentioning Amazon. How is your former employer currently faring in this space? What are they doing well and what do they need to do better?

BL: Amazon is growing up and realising that the time has come to make the company better, not bigger. It recently reported that it is evaluating its private label business which only generates one per cent of its sales.

I believe Amazon should either exit out of its private label business altogether, or acquire Dollar General, and make its private label products the attraction of the store.

Amazon continues to make improvements in online and physical grocery retail, but I continue to believe it should divest Whole Foods, and focus capital on opening more Amazon Fresh stores.

Target is doing a fabulous job online.

RTIH: How is Amazon’s big rival, Walmart, doing in terms of the online side of its business?

BL: It remains a no contest battle. Amazon dominates online sales, but Walmart is making improvements.

Amazon will surpass Walmart to become the largest retailer by sales in 2023. Once this happens, Amazon will continue to erode Walmart’s sales in stores and online.

Interview continue to be in demand.

Machine learning and AI will also continue to be popular. Retailers need to reduce their costs related to online and anything that can help accomplish that will be utilised by retailers.

About the Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List

BL: Retailers will continue to invest in online technology and capabilities even if online sales slow because of the economy. Consumers will increase their use of online as they become more focused on finding bargains.

This annual offering, which is presented in no particular order, covers retailers, technology suppliers, startups, consultants, analysts, and thought leaders who are making an impact in the retail technology space.

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.

RTIH: What will be the must have online retail technologies over the next year?

Check out the 2022 list at: www.retailtechinnovationhub.com

RTIH: Which other big name retailers are winning and losing at online retail?

BL: Target is a doing a fabulous job online. Macy’s is getting better. Gap remains a laggard at online sales.

RTIH: What are your online retail predictions for the remainder of 2022 and into 2023?

BL: The supply chain will continue to be a major area of concern for retailers. Technology that provides increased visibility and transparency across the supply chain will

Amazon will surpass Walmart to become the largest retailer by sales in 2023.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

19

Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List interview

Celia Van Wickel

As part of a series of interviews with those who made it on to the RTIH Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List, we discuss the likes of rapid delivery services, the metaverse, drones, micro-fulfilment, and autonomous solutions with Celia Van Wickel, Sr. Director, Digital Commerce, Kantar.

RTIH: What does recognition as a retail tech influencer mean to you?

CVW: It was a pleasant surprise, and personally, an honour, to be recognised among some great people who I admire and follow as a fellow retail tech influencer.

When I started posting on LinkedIn at the beginning of the pandemic, it was simply to build a network in the digital commerce and retail space, helping me navigate trends in my former E-commerce Insights and Analytics role at The Coca-Cola Company.

Over time, I realised trends reported in the industry news were only part of the story. The industry was looking for guidance on the bigger picture of the tech

20

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

trends. Using my insights background, I started to talk about the “so what” to the stories. The industry took kindly to my sentiments, which has further connected me to the retail tech space.

Being an influencer provides continual learning and diversification of thought that I now bring to my role at Kantar, guiding large CPG, retailers, and other companies on digital commerce trends and strategy.

RTIH: Who have been the big retail winners and losers during the coronavirus outbreak?

CVW: The winners and losers from the pandemic are still being assessed. When I think of retail winners, I tend to

Tesco is aiming to be a digital winner.

Interview Retailers will continue to invest and test in digital to enhance profitability within their ecosystems, prioritising technology that will position them for growth in uncertain times.

focus on digital commerce given my area of focus. In the US, two retailers have continued to grow digital sales, Target and Costco. Costco simply wins on the love of Costco from shoppers more than any tech investment they have made.

Target is my first choice as a retail winner, despite some macroeconomic headwinds on the horizon. Their curbside pickup experience is best in class. It is one of the few where there is no order minimum, and orders are fulfilled on-demand. On-demand is the trend moving forward, pushing same-day fulfillment.

Kroger is an interesting retailer to watch given they are entering purely digital markets and embracing 30-minute delivery. Tesco in the UK is also aiming to be a digital winner. The other winner is social commerce.

Social commerce, along with TikTok, grew during the pandemic. Social commerce has created a network driven way to shop which shows no signs of slowing down and will only mold deeper into connected shopping in years to come.

The losers seem to be companies that were overinvested with VC funding, namely rapid delivery. Rapid delivery as a 15-minute model supported by manual dark stores does not work, the bubble is bursting. Companies are continuing to fold and consolidate.

The idea of quick commerce still has merit, but as noted, as on-demand within an hour, with centralised and automated fulfilment.

It should be offered as one option for delivery, not the only option, as it meets more grab and go and last minute needs, not everyday shopping needs. I do believe online shopping fulfillment will be pressured to be faster, but not fast for the sake of fast.

Rapid delivery will shift to on-demand, slower, but still quick delivery. Only a few pureplay quick commerce players will remain as is. It will continue to change rapidly over the next 12 months.

Instacart will go public once the tech stocks stabilise and may surprise despite scrutiny over their business model. I’ve been one of those giving them a hard time.

I do believe they are being judicious with their route to IPO. I thought perhaps they would get acquired, but I think Fidji Simo is set on taking the company public in its current state.

Amazon will become a bigger player in grocery, but still small. Amazon is bullish on their Fresh store expansion, more than reported. Amazon will revolutionise same-day delivery across categories.

Livestreaming in the US will become video-based shopping, then always live.

E-commerce growth will continue with deeper digital integration in stores and in emerging platforms, but it will be unbalanced and back to pre-pandemic growth. E-commerce is currently being right sized to normal levels.

Pickup will mold more into an on-demand model and offer drive-thru.

RTIH: What are your retail predictions for 2022 and beyond?

RTIH: What will be the must watch retail technologies over the next year?

CVW: At Kantar, we are already looking to 2023 trends.

Our digital theme going into 2023 is digital playground.

The digital realm continues to expand rapidly into new areas of retail, data, entertainment, payments, and even the metaverse for new selling opportunities.

Retailers will continue to invest and test in digital to enhance profitability within their ecosystems, prioritising technology that will position them for growth in uncertain times. Automated micro-fulfilment and autonomous solutions are areas still fully untapped for growth.

Metaverse will move even further into what I’m calling virtual commerce. It will likely stay centralised, but more testing will happen that will unlock new virtual engagement and shopping experiences.

CVW: I have a personal affinity for the big picture potential of what the metaverse will bring. We are still in the early stages, so I’m watching closely the test and learn that will continue in this space.

The entire vision of the metaverse will not necessarily come to light, but the way it will mold interactions virtually and in real-time with friends and family has immense potential.

I have a daughter who will talk with her best friend on video chat for hours doing nothing, that friend will even join us at the dinner table. With the metaverse, her best friend will be able to join us virtually in the future.

As noted, I am watching micro-fulfilment and autonomous solutions, namely autonomous vehicles.

With labour pressures remaining and profitability along

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

21

Interview with speed coming to a head, these solutions will continue to evolve and be integrated by retailers. Amazon is hiring to build micro-fulfillment that will push them further into fast delivery.

Big Data, supported by AI and machine learning, whether true AI or not, is going to continue to have growing importance in real-time data solutions from retail operations to retail media data value.

Retail media is another area to watch, to see how far retailers can become media companies outside of Amazon, focused across the marketing funnel and harmonised across retailers for consolidated buying and results for brands.

RTIH: Which technologies are overhyped in your opinion?

CVW: Drones are a big question mark in my mind. I love big picture thinking, and drones fit that bill, but it does not make as much sense as other technology. There are so many hurdles, from FAA regulations to costs that need to be aligned. I see the use cases in healthcare, but in online fulfilment drones need a lot of improvement.

Drones cannot fulfil larger orders in which weight is a problem. The cost is sky high to fulfil orders and needs to be below $5 per order as other Amazon fulfillment.

Amazon is still in the baby stages, still piloting. Walmart is more aggressive. Drones are also a 1:1 delivery mechanism which does not bode well for profitability.

Delivery of one box of Cheez-It crackers via drones is not profitable. I also believe the essence of 15-minute delivery will be going away, only in select urban areas if the warehouse is near a customer, but more as a delighter than an expectation.

About the Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List This annual offering, which is presented in no particular order, covers retailers, technology suppliers, startups, consultants, analysts, and thought leaders who are making an impact in the retail technology space.

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.

Check out the 2022 list at: www.retailtechinnovationhub.com

Instacart will go public once the tech stocks stabilise and may surprise despite scrutiny over their business model.

22

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

LEADING WEBSITE FOR THE GLOBAL OMNICHANNEL RETAIL TECHNOLOGY COMMUNITY

PROMOTE YOUR COMPANY VIA RTIH Retail Technology Innovation Hub was launched in 2017

by Scott Thompson, former Editor of Retail Systems. It is now the leading website for the global omnichannel retail technology community.

Our retailer visitors come from a wide range of companies, across tiers one, two, three and four.

Our readership includes IT directors, e-commerce directors, the heads of multi-channel, mobile, loss prevention, supply chain, payments and operations, and those with responsibility for the likes of loyalty initiatives, customer experience, social media and marketing.

The UK is RTIH’s biggest demographic, followed by the rest of Europe and then North America and the Middle East. We also have a number of visitors from the likes of India, China, Japan, Korea, and Australia.

Via our website, printed edition and digital campaigns, we can provide powerful advertising and sponsorship opportunities to reach key retail technology decision makers.

We have one of the most engaged audiences in the retail technology space, and are committed to helping our clients achieve tangible results, which is why the

vast majority of them return on a regular basis.

Advertising and sponsorship opportunities include: • Promotional articles (company profiles, interviews, thought leadership pieces etc) • Advertising banners, available both on our website and daily e-newsletter • Bespoke events, roundtables, webinars, podcasts etc • E-newsletter sponsorship (advertise in our daily newsletter) • E-blasts to our database of requested newsletter subscribers • Reports, whitepapers and online surveys For further information, please email: scott.thompson@retailtechinnovationhub.com Or visit: retailtechinnovationhub.com/advertise-with-us

Comment

Five ways DTC brands can adapt to uncharted territory Times are changing. No company is safe now. Even the most satisfied customers can take their custom elsewhere.

T

he market is never ‘cornered.’’ It is fluid and dynamic. In these challenging circumstances, businesses must respond with creativity and adaptability – like true entrepreneurs.

During lockdown, direct to consumer (DTC) business models were successful in giving end users access to products and services directly over the internet, cutting out

24

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

the middleman and making the buyer-seller relationship more affordable.

Three fifths of us bought from at least one DTC brand in 2021 alone.

But even the most successful DTC models cannot afford to stay still if they are to retain their increasingly discerning customers.

As we come out of lockdown and adjust to today’s economic turbulence, it is essential that retailers innovate to deepen connection with their customers,

no matter where they spend their time.

Here are five ways DTC retail brands can transform their approach to grow in this new era of commerce.

Think longer term, think C2C For brands to ride out the looming recession, the answer is to think longer term, and create a total experience for customers that engages them locally, and globally, online and off.

Comment Be yourself but think global as you export your products, services and rewards – both on and offline.

It’s a business model we’ve taken to calling Connect To Consumer (C2C), which shifts the focus from the online, transactional relationship of DTC to something more meaningful and longer term, engaging with potential customers wherever they are.

If DTC is one pathway, C2C is many; as the line between content and transacting, between shopping and entertainment blurs, it is the customer to customer experience that will lead the way to exciting new markets.

And that experience should be a relationship that creates advocates and keeps shoppers coming back again and again, wherever they are.

Start selling multi-surface

As we come out of lockdown and adjust to today’s economic turbulence, it is essential that retailers innovate to deepen connection with their customers, no matter where they spend their time.

From an online store or an app to social networks and a physical presence on the high street, you must be able to interact with, and sell to your customers across every surface.

You’ve likely heard the phrase omnichannel retail, but this concept doesn’t acknowledge all the different retail experiences within that.

For instance, you can sell direct to consumers online not just through your website, but directly through social media platforms like TikTok. A bricks and mortar store, meanwhile, might not just act as a shop, but a showroom to consumers who later order online, or vice versa.

In the case of DTC sportswear giant Gymshark, it’s recently taken the form of a London barbershop with mental health trained barbers, aimed at starting a

conversation and creating a community, not just selling.

Having a one point of sale platform will tie all these touchpoints together, and will make multi-surface selling easier, more bespoke, and more efficient.

Earn your community, rather than pay for customers Social digital ads are getting increasingly expensive, with costs increasing across the major platforms including Meta, Google, Amazon and TikTok. For example, there have been reports that Meta’s cost per thousand has increased by 61% year-on-year, in part due to Apple’s iPhone software now making it easy to stop any app from tracking you.

Consider investing time and resource instead in community building. This means creating content interesting enough to sell itself, from editorial to YouTube streams.

Build up an audience and in time you can sell products directly within your own feeds - something UK startups, like mushroom growers GroCycle are already forging ahead with on their YouTube channel, for example.

That’s hard, but worth it.

Be the DTC brand starting a conversation, not just closing a purchase, and focus above all else not just on your first party data, but the data your customers willingly give you.

Nobody can block that.

Make shopping experiences bespoke To create a personalised relationship with your customers, you need to address

their interests and talk to them on their platforms.

Events and rewards held at your physical store are a great starting point, but you can apply the same approach to online shoppers too to really increase their scope.

One way to do this is to offer personalised digital interactions using new Web3 technologies.

Take NFTs; price volatility aside, non fungible tokens are a way for people to express their identity online.

By taking that knowledge (of what NFTs a shopper publicly owns), you can provide exclusive, token gated shopping experiences based on their NFTs and interests and engage a younger customer base in a novel way.

Widen your audience reach Customers will always value what’s authentic, what’s local and what’s unique to you.

Embrace and propagate these values through your online marketing or physical presentation. But do not feel limited by your locality. On the contrary, hyper local and global now very much exist on the same plane.

With the right partners, there’s no reason a craft store in a rural village in Yorkshire can’t find and ship to customers on the other side of the planet.

Be yourself but think global as you export your products, services and rewards – both on and offline.

About the author: Shimona Mehta is Shopify EMEA Managing Director.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

25

STARTUP STORIES

Daniel Hemsley

Co-founder, The Beagle Button RTIH sits down with Co-founder Daniel Hemsley to get the lowdown on The Beagle Button, a startup pitched as the UK’s first browser extension that automatically recommends eco alternatives when you’re shopping online.

RTIH: Tell us about The Beagle Button DH: We want to change how the world shops by making it easier and cheaper for our users to switch to genuinely sustainable products and services. We do that through our free to use browser extension, The Beagle Button.

Once you download it, we sit in the background as you shop as normal. We work across all the major retailers in the UK and suggest sustainable alternatives to whatever it is you’re shopping for.

If you’re looking at a plastic toothbrush we’ll suggest a bamboo alternative. If you’re looking at a pair of Levis we’ll suggest Nudie Jeans. who have a free, infinite repair policy, or if you’re looking at a pair of running shoes we’ll suggest a carbon neutral pair of Allbirds.

We want to take all the pain out of the process of shopping sustainably to make it as quick and easy as possible for consumers to make better choices.

RTIH: What was the inspiration behind setting the company up?

DH: Back in 2019, we looked at how people like Honey and Pouch were influencing shopping behaviours through their browser extensions and thought, “how could we use that same technology to encourage sustainable consumption and bridge the gap between consumers’ intentions and their actions?”

If you ask them, 73% of people will tell you they want to

26

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

shop sustainably - but they don’t for four main reasons: price, uncertainty around greenwashing, difficulty in incorporating new behaviours into their routines or a lack of awareness that sustainable alternatives exist in the first place.

If you think about ourselves as consumers, we’re inundated with choice and convenience and busy with our day to day lives. It’s far too easy for sustainable choices to slip down the list of priorities.

Eco-anxiety is real, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless to affect change but that couldn’t be more wrong.

As consumers, we have real power to shape the world we want to live in with every single decision we make. Every penny we spend is a vote for the world we want to live in.

We want to encourage and empower people to make planet positive decisions while they shop.

To oversimplify it, if overnight every single person in the UK stopped buying the apples wrapped in single use plastic from supermarket shelves and the unpackaged apples consistently sold out, do we think the supermarkets would keep selling apples in plastic packaging?

RTIH: What has been the industry reaction thus far?

DH: The response has been really positive. We only work with the very best sustainable brands in the UK; we work hard to ensure the products we recommend to our users are both genuinely sustainable and great products to use.

We want to take all the pain out of the process of shopping sustainably.

We want to reward our users for making planet friendly choices by connecting them with excellent products that are genuinely sustainable alternatives to whatever they are looking at.

As a digital product, The Beagle Button makes it easier for users to avoid greenwashing and shop sustainably with confidence but the user experience extends to receiving a physical product. We work hard to ensure we offer a seamless digital experience complemented by an excellent physical product that our users will enjoy using and have a positive experience with.

We’re in the fortunate position of being able to champion all the great brands that are doing amazing work to develop sustainable alternatives. Retail is only going to get more sustainable.

Our growing user base are the early adopters and we want to help mainstream sustainable shopping by taking it from the 10% of the population who are ‘dark green’ and already deeply committed to making more sustainable choices to the light green, the 40% of the population who if offered a sustainable choice would take it.

RTIH: What has been your biggest challenge/ setback?

DH: We recognise that price is a huge challenge and puts lots of people off exploring sustainable alternatives. It is a complex issue in the best of times only exacerbated by the cost of living crisis.

Trying to make more sustainable choices isn’t about deciding to throw out all the fast fashion items in your wardrobe and starting again. It’s about slowing down to make slow and steady progress in deliberate steps.

Typically, by trying to consume more consciously you’ll We recognise that price is a huge challenge and puts lots of people off exploring sustainable alternatives.

Startup stories Unfortunately, as public awareness of environmental issues grows and more and more consumers demand planet friendly products and services, so does the temptation for brands to greenwash. naturally start to consume and therefore spend less.

We want to make shopping sustainable and conscious consumption as accessible as possible and an important part of accessibility is affordability. We work with our brand partners to offer exclusive discounts through The Beagle Button so we can save our users time and money.

RTIH: What is the biggest issue facing the online retail space right now?

DH: Greenwashing. Unfortunately, as public awareness of environmental issues grows and more and more consumers demand planet friendly products and services, so does the temptation for brands to greenwash.

The rise of conscious consumers represents an attractive marketing opportunity.

As consumers we’re bombarded with brands making vague claims about their sustainable credentials; it’s hard to unpick actual positive impact from marketing spin.

Greenwashing damages all the great work sustainable brands are doing to make conscious consumption the norm.

Instead of rewarding consumers for trying to reduce their impact with a planet positive choice, they trick and manipulate them into buying an inferior product that negatively impacts the planet.

No one would buy a product with a label reading “Made with Child Labour” or “Waste from This Product Contaminates Top Soil.” The problem is it doesn’t say that on the label and so we all buy products that effectively do that all the time.

To counter this we have independently researched thousands of the most ethical and eco-friendly products so our users don’t have to. We recognise that price is a huge challenge and puts lots of people off exploring sustainable alternatives.

We look at how sustainable products really are. To do that, we give each product a score against our five sustainability pillars: reduce waste, minimise emissions, support workers, protect animals, and avoid chemical usage. Products that pass these tests are scored and added to our database.

As our users browse online, we dig into this database to find the products that best match what they are shopping for.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

27

Comment

Covid Vs the cost of living crisis

Which has a bigger impact on retail?

It’s fair to say that no-one of working age in the UK had ever experienced anything as disruptive as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Could it be possible that, from a retail perspective, the cost of living impacts prove to be even bigger than those of the pandemic?

28

W

hile it tended to accelerate existing trends rather than create new ones outright, the fact that working from home is now standard for deskbased jobs is a major change that had no prior momentum.

And consider the technical terminology that is now mainstream - lockdowns, social distancing, PPE… It was definitely, definitely a

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

major disrupter. Yet the 2020s are proving to be complex, with big problems snowballing and merging together to form even bigger ones. Brexit, the pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and all the bits in-between them have led to 40-year high inflation. Could it be possible that, from a retail perspective, the cost of living impacts prove to be even bigger than those of the pandemic?

To answer that, we need to look at some metrics. The

pandemic did one thing fundamentally: drive massive volume online. In that sense, just looking at sales growth, the impact was profound. But, looking at other metrics, the differences were not quite as pronounced.

For example, with that surge in online orders driven by lockdowns, we might have expected the average basket value (ABV – the overall amount spent at the checkout by customers) to have changed.

Comment People had no option other than to purchase online, be that large items (electricals and home and garden were the biggest beneficiaries online) or smaller, more frequent purchases such as beauty products. And yet, between 2019 and 2020, the ABV went up by just one pound.

Conversion rates (the percentage of visitors to retail sites who complete a purchase) might also have spiked, given the need everyone had to buy essentials online, but overall it just balanced out again.

There were some metrics where the impact was notable and obvious, such as a big drop in usage of Click and Collect, but with people locked down in their homes and stores closed these are hardly surprising.

Now fast forward to the accelerated cost of living increases this year and the picture is very different.

Conversion rates have dropped by as much as 25% at times, and the ABV has skyrocketed; in home and garden and electricals, it has exceeded £200.

Some of that is driven by general inflationary pressure and supply chain costs, particularly for items such as furniture, but there is a much more interesting narrative behind it as well.

While in grocery people have switched to own-brand/value items, it has not necessarily been the case in general merchandise.

There has been some switching toward bulk buying – getting a larger, longer lasting bottle of fragrance for example – but in several categories people have been reluctant to compromise on quality, continuing to buy relatively expensive clothing or home items, just not doing it quite

as frequently.

At the time of writing, however, there were some early signs even that might have started to change.

In short, customer behaviour has become scattergun; many retailers see odd purchasing patterns with people spending longer to make decisions and proving far less responsive to activity, which makes forecasting very tough.

So in some ways, the cost of living crisis has put retailers on an emergency footing in the same way the pandemic did. What everyone wants to know now is whether this is a long lasting change or simply a temporary blip in response to those difficult economic conditions.

Which is to say, how long will these conditions last? There was a sense in the early months of the pandemic that it would continue to massively impact our lives for many years to come, as vaccines can take decades to create.

Yet, 12 months down the line, such was the focus that one was

created and now life in some countries goes on again as if nothing ever happened.

Is that level of focus likely in response to the current challenge? It might be more complex due to the sheer range of influences – the pandemic is just one, for example, with the Ukraine conflict being a key accelerator that some believe will drag on for years.

One thing is for sure – retailers will be hoping for an improvement in the situation before the energy cap goes up in October, or it could make for a very difficult Black Friday and peak trading period, which would be a fitting end to the chaos of 2022.

Will we have an equivalent of the vaccine miracle to restore 2023 to some kind of normality?

I think we might be living more in hope than expectation at present.

About the author: Andy Mulcahy is Strategy and Insight Director at IMRG, the voice of e-retail in the UK.

Customer behaviour has become scattergun.

The 2020s are proving to be complex, with big problems snowballing and merging together to form even bigger ones.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

29

5

RETAIL QUESTIONS FOR…

Pete Howroyd Pete Howroyd, Founder and CEO at Swapi, tells RTIH why crypto and blockchain are changing the way we shop, and why contactless should be for cards, not people.

RTIH: Looking at the hottest retail technologies right now, check-out free stores, rapid delivery services, the metaverse and NFTs, automation and robotics, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, which ones stand out to you, and for what reason?

PH: Crypto and blockchain stand out for me. These technologies are already changing the way we shop and will continue to change many aspects of our lives in the future.

As retailers and marketers, the opportunities are endless if we embrace decentralised tech. In my view, one exciting aspect of crypto and blockchain is its ability to reduce barriers for businesses who are looking toward global growth.

Ultimately, crypto and blockchain can be leveraged to create more diverse business partnerships and ultimately serve our customers better.

30

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

Crypto is still in its teething stage, and so some volatility is to be expected. Regardless, it will become a mainstream payment method that benefits consumers, merchants and retailers alike.

The application of distributed ledger technology, of which blockchain is an example, has only reached the tip of the iceberg. It shouldn’t come as a surprise when it permeates (and improves) the way we shop, live and work in the years to follow.

RTIH: Which retail technology trend is overrated in your opinion?

PH: Overall, I feel that retail tech has made some drastically positive improvements over the last decade, with innovations such as e-loyalty and Click & Collect.

However, I think for some customers self-checkouts, from supermarkets to clothing stores to petrol pumps, can be a

Crypto and blockchain are already changing the way we shop and will continue to change many aspects of our lives in the future.

particular pain point.

This is especially relevant as self-checkouts become more prioritised by planners in supermarkets and local stores, not just in city centres where life is busy, but in rural stores too.

I doubt I’m alone in feeling my blood boil every time the words ‘unexpected item in the bagging area’ blasts from the screen, but I actually think there’s a real loss to some members of the community who far prefer the 1-2-1 interaction that has long been a staple of the grocery store.

Many people, such as the elderly, particularly enjoy the human interactions they have access to in supermarkets.

It’s an area I believe should be monitored in terms of social impact.

Of course, it has huge cost savings for businesses, but I wonder if some people may start choosing to shop in stores that prioritise human workers and social interaction as we progress.

In my view, contactless should be for cards, not people. We’ve seen banks recognise this, and profit from increased and repeated custom consequently.

RTIH: What are the top five retail tech Twitter/LinkedIn accounts you can’t do without, and why?

PH: I know as founders we are supposed to read everything but honestly, I find myself struggling to find the time at the moment. With that in mind, I’d say there are no particular accounts I absolutely cannot do without.

However, I use LinkedIn’s trending section to stay up-to-date with business news, stories, and events happening within the retail, tech, and business sectors.

I also generally look out for investment news, new tech innovation, and potential partnership opportunities.

Likewise with Twitter, I’m not currently a huge Twitter user but I’ve recently tried to get onboard.

There seems to be a solid community of entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts, so it’s great for garnering a general view of opinions on certain business and tech trends.

It’s also great to see them interact with the Swapi account, and I have no doubt it’ll come in useful when making improvements to our marketplace further down the line.

RTIH: If you could have a dinner party with any five retail pioneers, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

PH: I am going to blur the lines here between retail, product and publishing, there are many people I look up to in this space, so it’s hard to cut it down to just five.

Alan Sugar, for his ruthlessness in business - actual business - not just The Apprentice. You can learn a lot from his traditional no nonsense approach which

5 questions sometimes gets lost these days.

He’s demonstrated a keen eye for startup businesses over multiple decades, which is great for innovation and ultimately benefits whole sectors and customer bases.

Anna Wintour - She has had a glorious career and clearly holds an outstanding ability to combine creative and commercial strategy.

Love her or hate her, she has revolutionised the fashion industry’s positioning in branding and business operations. She’s shared her passion with fans of fashion globally, transcending the industry itself and making high fashion’s exclusivity available to the masses.

Steve Jobs, I know, typical answer. He had the ability to create products that re-envisioned consumer wants and needs. He understood the future wishes of the consumer, before they even knew it themselves.

He was a rare talent in business, crafting a brand and product that went from unknown to essential in the blink of an eye. It’s also important to recognise he did this through consistent failure, I can admire his persistence.

Clive Humby - I work in loyalty so how could I not have one of the pioneers in loyalty and the brain behind arguably one of the most successful loyalty programmes of all time at Tesco?

Tesco has been doing loyalty right for years, and we have Clive to thank for the dissemination of loyalty schemes from flights to coffee. Without Clive, the idea of being rewarded for repeat shops would look a lot more old fashioned than it does now.

So I have him to partly thank for how the sector looks now, for that he can get the biggest dessert portion.

If Ralph Lauren couldn’t attend, I’d reschedule the whole thing. Anyone who manages to put their own name on a business and make it into one of the world’s best known brands is just amazing.

An expert in branding with a fantastic ability to pivot quickly in challenging retail times. I think every entrepreneur, from startup to enterprise level businesses, could learn a few tricks from Mr Lauren.

RTIH: What’s your favourite line from a film and why?

PH: “Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine.” Which is from The Imitation Game, the Alan Turing biopic.

I think this is so true in the startup world, people surprise us with their amazing and wonderful innovations nearly everyday.

There is real inspiration to be had from entrepreneurial individuals who will try, try and try again, and then achieve something amazing.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

31

5

RETAIL QUESTIONS FOR…

Sarah Curran RTIH talks the metaverse, checkout free stores and retail pioneers with Sarah Curran, NED at French Connection and MD EMEA at True Fit.

RTIH: Looking at the hottest retail technologies right now, check-out free stores, rapid delivery services, the metaverse and NFTs, automation and robotics, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, which ones stand out to you, and for what reason?

SC: Checkout-free stores are one of the technologies standing out to me at the moment.

Once again, Amazon is redefining the customer psyche and teaching shoppers new norms, just like it did when it revolutionised one click payments – something it made customers feel comfortable with and that they now expect as standard.

It’s not just taking friction out of the payments or checkout process – let’s be honest who wants to endure Primark-esque queues in-store - but it is helping retailers think about how better they can bring digital into their store experience and vice versa.

And while Amazon is more focused on grocery retail at the moment, I’m sure it won’t be long before we see this normalised into other sectors, including fashion, quickly.

For me, another one to watch would definitely be Toshi.

Not only did LVMH’s innovation lab have them as a hands down favourite in their recent awards, but masterminded by one of the incredible former leaders at Net a Porter, they’re dialling up how to do last mile for luxury.

And that involves answering the need for quick and convenient fulfilment but delivered, quite literally, with the white glove service luxury shoppers expect.

And, if I am allowed to sneak one more in, rather than being technology specific, any tech that removes friction from the buying journey can, in my opinion, only be a good thing.

Whether it is personalisation or helping shoppers find the product they want quicker, faster and more effectively, those are the tech solutions I see that will help retailers better weather the uncertainty within the market, all while improving customer experience and loyalty, which – let’s face it – is hard won at the best of times.

32

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

RTIH: Which retail technology trend is overrated in your opinion?

SC: Where do I start? I’m sure this will be an unpopular opinion, but I would say the metaverse.

But, just to correct the controversy, I don’t mean it is overrated full stop. It is just overrated right now, because retailers and brands are still getting their heads around its seemingly endless possibilities.

Yes, it promises a big new fourth gen shopping experience – and I can’t wait to see that come to fruition – but so far retailers and brands are using it to replicate their stores in A/VR. We need to imagine harder for that vision of what is possible in the metaverse to become reality.

And while I have called it as being overrated, that is the ‘now’ and I fully expect if you asked me in two – five years’ time, once retailers have sussed out the extent of this new dimension of shopping – I’ll be putting it back up there in the previous question of what’s hot right now.

I think the same then follows with NFT and crypto – the premise is promising – and there is no denying the groundbreaking nature both technologies represent - but the execution, or at the very least the roadmap, needs to be backed-up before the spoils can be evaluated and realised.

I wouldn’t say any of these would be going into my ‘Room 101’ of retail tech, but I would say they have a way to go before their true potential is manifested.

RTIH: What are the top five retail tech Twitter/ LinkedIn accounts you can’t do without, and why?

SC: Gosh, there are so many.

I’m more LinkedIn than Twitter, so I am coming at this question from that lens, but for fashion business news and views, I love to follow Business of Fashion, as well as The Industry.Fashion.

I always enjoy Natalie Berg’s viewpoints on trends, as she is always so on-point with her assessment on where tech, and the consumer, is at.

5 questions Similarly, Andrew Busby is another industry viewpoint I tend to follow, especially when he reports on the top take-outs from events and conferences that I can’t always get to or I’m speaking at, so I can’t get round the conference stages to hear first-hand.

My other go to is David Watts; I love his content and he provokes some, at times, challenging debates which need to be had, around social norms and diversity and equality in the fashion and magazines industry.

He’s both thought provoking and utterly charming in one profile, while not shying away from keystone topics.

What’s not to love?

parameters, and Mel would bring true ‘blue sky’ thinking to the dinner party discussion.

RTIH: Which song lyric best reflects your approach to business?

SC: No question, it has to be Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill – we all are, whether it is technologically, personally or professionally.

RTIH: If you could have a dinner party with any five retail pioneers, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

SC: OK, who first? Not retail per se, but I’m going to say Steve Jobs as my first dinner party invite.

Not so much because of what he has done for tech and brand marketing, but I would be so fascinated to see how, as a human, he thinks and how he was able to see so vividly a strong vision of the future.

When so many of us struggle with mundane decisions, he built the vision and infrastructure that redefines how we communicate and engage with technology, and each other.

Next up, I would say Caroline Crosswell from Rapha.

She has pioneered how it builds communities into its brand offer.

With her mantra of ‘community first, commerce second’, her approach shows how retailers can build true brand advocates, whether they shop online or in-store, and how the power of community can drive true loyalty and CLV. Steven Bartlett. Not so much for his Dragon’s Den appearances – although I do enjoy those too – but more for his Diary of a CEO podcast.

I’d be totally interested in hearing not necessarily the gossip, but what insights he has taken away from speaking to so many influential leaders across various sectors.

Nick Robertson, ex-Asos, would also be right up there on the invite list. Not only was he instrumental in what he did pioneering the fast fashion brand, but he’s fun, entertaining and always has a million stories to tell.

Last, but my no means least, would be Mel Robbins, who has an amazing lifestyle, personal development and coaching business.

All too often we can get stuck looking inwardly on ourselves, and by extension, on our business, our technology or our capabilities – and we shouldn’t. To innovate is to think without Checkout-free stores are one of the technologies standing out to me at the moment.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub · September - November 2022

33

RApid grocery delivery

TESCOreviewed Whoosh RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, asked his 70-something father to try out Tesco Whoosh, which delivers from store to door within 60 minutes. Here’s what he thought of it.

W

hen RTIH asked if I (a retired person and Tesco loyalist who lives outside of London) would like to review the grocery giant’s Whoosh service and give an opinion as to whether it would appeal to my age group, I happily agreed, although my tongue was as firmly lodged in my cheek as I am sure it was in theirs.

The mechanics of the enterprise were not a problem.

I’m fairly computer savvy and also have a partner who can Whoosh around a mobile app with the best of them.

We startedby logging into her Tesco account and clicking Whoosh. This was when we hit the first snag. The app seemed unable to distinguish between a standard home delivery order already booked for later in the week and the new Whoosh order.

Thus, we were forced to abandon the app and log in directly to Tesco Whoosh.

From there on in everything became fairly straightforward, although having said that, you are required to book a slot before starting the order, which can beslightly disconcerting as you literally watch your time ticking away, giving the impression that time is of the essence. Which it may well be, but in my opinion this was an unnecessary touch.

As you would expect from Tesco, once the site is accessed the layout is straightforward, well thought out and it is easy to manoeuvre around the different sections, making the ordering process simple.

The product range, although fairly restricted, does I think cover most of the bases of what would be required from such a quick commerce service. Although I would

mention that we were threatened with a £5 discount code on selected items, which was rejected at checkout.

We completed the order and Alexander delivered it to our door with eight of the aforementioned 60 minutes to spare, so no complaints there.

It is, of course, an enterprise that is understandablynot aimed at my age group. To give one example, on the product list are Magnums, a particular favourite of mine but the idea that I would pay a £5 premium to have them delivered within the hour, would require me to abandon some deep seated belief and prejudices. I’m afraid that would be next to impossible.

Even if I gritted my teeth and threw caution to the wind, the Magnum when it arrived would taste of shame and regret.

My father’s generation regarded spending money as a necessary evil only to be done when all other avenues had been examined and proved fruitless.

My generation were indoctrinated with this belief from an early age; a standard device for part of this indoctrination was the inevitable questioning of any purchase. How much did you pay for that then?, was a question as certain as night follows day.

My father was of a somewhat liberal mindset, so my default response was a 50% discount on whatever I had paid. However, friends of mine had to discount as much as 75%, what with their fathersbeing more conservative types.

Would I have had it any other way? No, I think not. I and many like me would rather watch the bright young things take rapid delivery of their morning coffee and simply wonder if it tastes OK.

Will Whoosh win over the older generations?

34

September - November 2022 · Retail Technology Innovation Hub

36

November 2012 · CORP. Magazine