The old adage that the UK is a nation of shopkeepers could soon ring true as the Co-op today, Wednesday, 7 March, unveils a convenient future where customers can check-out their own purchases on their phone, without visiting a till. Time-pressed shoppers will soon be able to pay in the aisle and avoid visiting a till all together as they use...
When startups are looking to launch physical products to markets there are a variety of routes to take, none of which guarantees success. Germany-based KaDeTe is aiming to give these startups an opportunity to showcase their products in a brick-and-mortar space. KaDeTe (or Kaufhaus de Testen, which roughly translates to ‘testing department...
The faces of customers at Sydney's Bahista Cafe are scanned by an iPad as they approach the barista at the coffee machine. Instantly the customer's name, favourite order and whether they are due for a loyalty reward flashes up on another iPad facing staff. Customers can opt out if they want to. "We have a large sign at the point of sale which...
A new startup, called DeepMagic, uses digital innovations to enhance the experience of a physical store. Using Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence (AI), DeepMagic is enabling retailers to create unattended physical stores that are fully automated. DeepMagic offers two products: the Qick Store Platform and the Qick Kiosk. The Qick Store...
Branding is a vital part of any company’s marketing strategy. Until recently, visual presence has been one of the largest, if not the largest, factors in a company’s brand — but Amazon Alexa and other voice assistants are drastically changing the ways consumers encounter products. Graeme Pitkethly, chief financial officer of Unilever (owner of...
A judge gave the green light Thursday to a Minnesota company that wants to put advertising in vehicles driven for companies like Uber and Lyft in New York City. U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams released her written ruling in the First Amendment case brought by a company that was blocked from putting ads in vehicles affiliated with companies...
Darwin Geo-Pricing is a geo-targeted service, which has been created by Darwin Pricing LLC to optimise the sales of e-commerce retailers. The system uses artificial neural networks to provide a real-time model of the varied prices in different locations. This enables e-commerce retailers and brands to personalise their pricing for each customer...
Origin, built on blockchain technology, offers a smart and practical way for consumers to access information on each stage of a product’s journey. Shoppers flash a QR code in-store to see the full history of each product, and make informed purchase decisions. Food industry players throughout the value chain also benefit from this cost-effective...
Retailers are constantly looking for new ways to make the consumer’s experience easier and faster, and to compete with online ordering. Last year we saw the invention of smart shopping bags in the United States, which allows consumers to scan and purchase items as they go around the supermarket, not needing to queue and pay at the end. Another...
The idea of fresh vegetables coming out of a vending machine may seem incongruous, but technology is helping make it all possible. The salads are prepared in a central kitchen and restocked at the various vending machines daily. Customers can choose different options like a kale or quinoa base with smoked duck breast and baked salmon as...