RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his top ‘future of retail’ systems launches and deployments from the past week, including Musgrave, Infosys, Walmart, Rokt, Deliveroo, Co-op, Dollar General, and Alibaba Group.
Archive and ACS
Archive, a technology platform for branded resale, has announced a partnership with Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS), a UK-based circular and sustainable fashion fulfilment hub.
The aim is to offer apparel, footwear, outdoor, and luxury brands cleaning, repair, and fulfilment of secondhand items on a branded resale marketplace.
ACS says that it will utilise Archive’s resale operations technology to maximise profitability and efficiency for brands embracing circular business models. The first brands in the UK to leverage this partnership include The North Face and PANGAIA.
Co-op
Co-op is laying claim to the UK’s first retail media network in the convenience sector.
In a LinkedIn post, Kenyatte Nelson, Chief Membership & Customer Officer at Co-op, said: “Having built my career working for some of the biggest and most recognisable brands, I’ve always had an appreciation of the value of retail media, but most retailers media offerings are pretty samey. Co-op bucks that trend.”
He added: “Convenience shopping is distinctly different vs. supermarket shopping (more frequent, more opportunities to see, higher propensity to try new items etc), and it offers untapped opportunities for brands to boost their sales, given the impulsive nature of convenience shopping missions.”
“By including convenience retail media in the broader media ecosystem, brands have a greater opportunity to enhance sales and help build long team brand health.”
“Given this insight, we are doubling down on our strengths in convenience, creating a unique platform for brands that we believe will enable audience connection, business growth and will ultimately reshape the retail media landscape.”
“This launch is about cementing our position and transforming the way brands engage with their customers nationwide.”
“I’m excited about the possibilities this journey will bring. It signifies not only progress for the Co-op Media Network, but also a new chapter for brands seeking diverse ways to connect with their audiences.”
Musgrave
Infosys has signed a seven-year deal with Musgrave, an Irish food retail, wholesale and foodservice company.
As part of this collaboration, Infosys will help automate Musgrave’s IT operations by leveraging its AI and cloud offerings, Topaz and Cobalt.
Through its Cognitive First framework, Infosys will aim to enable digital experiences and boost operational efficiencies by integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, knowledge management, and cognitive automation capabilities to amplify enterprise intelligence across the value chain for Musgrave.
