After 1095 days, the world of retail finally reunites at London’s Olympia tomorrow for the Retail Technology Show (26-27 April).  With one day to go until the new flagship event that brings together Europe’s most forward-thinking retailers and leading tech innovators opens its doors, the final transformative tech and show features that champion innovation as part of the expo, have now been announced.

To join thousands of senior retail professionals, 200+ technology vendors, 90+ retail luminary speakers and unlimited face-to-face networking opportunities, free registrations are still being taken: https://bit.ly/RTS22prreg.

A one-stop shop for innovation: Explore 200+ technology suppliers

Over 200 tech innovators will be exhibiting across the two-day expo, showcasing the latest cutting-edge technologies to digitally transform retailers’ businesses, from established enterprise technology solutions – including Amazon Just Walk Out, Toshiba, HP, WorldPay and Zebra – to new disruptors, fast growth up-starts and start-ups.  The breadth of innovation on display means retailers can explore the full spectrum of retail technology for every part of their business and operations, all under one roof – from next-gen ecommerce capabilities and new solutions to power payments, future-proof supply chains, optimise operations and empower the retail workforce.

Unmissable headliners

Hear from the ‘who’s who’ of retail, as industry luminaries, including New Look Chairman and ex-Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coup, Dreams former CEO Mike Logue, Deliciously Ella’s founder Ella Mills, and Sam Jones of Gener8 with his investor, Tinie Tempah, take to the stage.  Six tracks over the two days will host 90+ retail leaders, covering the hottest topics that are defining the new retail landscape.

First-look tech to drive first-mover advantage in the Discovery Zone

The very latest tech that can give retailers the edge they need to create first-mover advantage has been curated in the dedicated Discovery Zone, which champions the newest innovations on offer to the market.  New tech suppliers include mobile data analytics platform, Waizu, sustainability tracking solution, Dayrize, and queue orchestration provider, AKIS Technologies, among others.

Take a tech tour on the Start-up Safari

Taking place across the two-day event, the Start-Up Safari is a key part of Retail Technology Show’s continued commitment to driving the retail industry forwards through innovation.  Carefully curated by leading international consultancy, Baringa, the Start-Up Safari will take retail visitors on a journey of discovery as they explore the top ten picks of the most exciting technologies set to disrupt the retail sector, as well as profiling the high-octane start-up community.  Tech suppliers featured on the Safari include augmented reality solution, London Dynamics, customer data and marketing platform, Ometria and in-store feedback technology, TruRating.

Celebrating future-forward tech at the Innovation Awards

A mainstay of Retail Technology Show’s mission to showcase the most progressive innovations that help drive retail businesses forward, the Innovation Awards, sponsored by Google Cloud, celebrate and recognise the most future-forward technologies with the power to transform retailers’ operations at the show.  A shortlist of ten solution providers from across the technology spectrum – from sustainability to supply chain and payments to POS – have been chosen, with the winner to be crowned at the BIG Retail Reunion Party, from 4pm on Day 1 at the Champagne Bar.

Matt Bradley, Event Director for the Retail Technology Show, commented:

“No part of a retailers’ business has been untouched by the fallout of the last two years – from digital acceleration and ecommerce adoption, to reimagined retail formats, new consumer behaviours and upended supply chains.  Retailers have lived through that change and understand now, more than ever, the role digital transformation and technology play in redefining their future success.  And that is why innovation sits front and centre of the Retail Technology Show.  We can’t wait to reunite the industry and celebrate the power of transformative technology.”

Don’t miss your chance to register for Retail Technology Show, the event that brings together Europe’s leading tech innovators and most forward-thinking retailers and brands: https://bit.ly/RTS22prreg.

On 26 & 27 April 2022 at London’s Olympia, the Retail Technology Show will reunite the retail industry at one of the first large-scale industry events taking place in the UK since the pandemic.  With 1,090 days having passed since Olympia hosted the last large-format, face-to-face retail trade show in 2019, Retail Technology Show’s mission is to drive the industry forwards through innovation, by bringing together the brightest minds in retail and future-forward technology providers.

Here, we catch-up with Event Director, Matt Bradley, to find out what’s not to be missed at Retail Technology Show.

The new flagship event for retail

When we relaunched Retail Technology Show we wanted it to be the event that brings together Europe’s most forward-thinking retailers and leading tech innovators, with a world-class  expo and an industry-defining conference programme – all under one roof – across the two-day event.  Our aim was to make the show the foremost platform to help fast-forward retailers’ digital transformation strategies, empowering retail businesses to thrive and disrupt, powered by technological advancements and innovation, post-pandemic.

“With the significant disruption and seismic shifts retail has experienced during the pandemic, never before has an event that showcases the innovation to drive retail businesses forwards been as needed by the industry.  As a first opportunity for many to enjoy the benefits that only face-to-face networking can deliver, we can’t wait to reunite the industry’s retailers and innovators.”

A spotlight on innovation

We’re delighted to welcome over 170 innovators who will be exhibiting across the two days, showcasing the latest cutting-edge technologies to digitally transform retailers’ businesses, from established enterprise technology solutions – including Amazon Just Walk Out, Toshiba, HP, WorldPay and Zebra – to new disruptors, fast growth up-starts and start-ups.  The breadth of innovation on display means retailers can explore the full spectrum of retail technology for every part of their business and operations, all under one roof at the Retail Technology Show – with tech providers showcasing next-gen ecommerce capabilities and new solutions to power payments, future-proof supply chains, optimise operations and empower the retail workforce.

As part of our commitment to show-casing the latest tech that can give retailers the edge they need to create first-mover advantage, we have curated a dedicated Discovery Zone that champions the newest innovations on offer to the market.  We’ve also brought back the popular Baringa Start-Up Safari, which offers a curated tour of the hottest next-gen tech from retail disruptors, giving retailers a first-look at some of the most  future-forward innovations set to shake up the industry from the vibrant, high-octane start-up community scene.

Innovation sits very much at the heart of the show, and to recognise and celebrate that, we are bringing back the Retail Technology Show’s Innovation Awards, which will celebrate and commend the best examples of future-forward technology on display at the event.

“Technology has always been mission critical for retailers.  But now, innovation is the central cornerstone that will drive retail businesses forwards as they build back better and stronger, and evolve to meet the new needs of a changed post-pandemic consumer.”

Bringing the leading lights of retail to the stage

We knew that in order to meet the new needs of the retail industry, we’d need to bring the brightest minds in retail to the stage of Retail Technology Show’s conference programme – and we’re hugely excited to welcome New Look’s chairman and ex-Sainsbury’s CEO, Mike Couple, former Dreams CEO Mike Logue, and Deliciously Ella’s founder, Ella Mills as our headliners.  They will be joined by Gener8 founder Sam Jones and its investor and international rap star, Tinie Tempah, who complete the headline line-up.

They’ll join over 70 retail visionaries, leaders and luminaries on the conference programme stages,  including Very Group, M&S, Morrisons, Fat Face, The Body Shop, Coty, Curry’s and Amazon to name just a few.

Working with our Retail Advisory Board and having undertaken extensive consumer research of 2,000 shoppers in our Retail Revolution Report to build the conference programme, our speakers will be covering the key topics that are shaping and setting the retail agenda across six key tracks, tackling the most pressing issues and industry trends.  From the pain points keeping retailers awake at night to forward-looking trends and future-gazing predictions to practical hacks and tips, each session offers unparalleled, ‘no holds barred’ insight to drive maximum value to the brands and retailers attending the show.

“Retail Technology Show is all about helping retailers unlock the innovations that will power future business performance.  We’re not just talking next-generation tech, we’re talking the next dimension of retailing – and that means bringing the brightest minds covering the hottest topics, with an event format that makes those disruptive discussions accessible to the entire industry.”

Unrivalled networking

And, of course, that’s not forgetting the unrivalled face-to-face networking opportunities at the show – something I think we can all agree we’ve all missed over the past two years and something we all quickly leant simply can’t be recreated effectively on digital formats like Zoom or at virtual events; nothing quite beats the benefits of networking in person.

As well as networking opportunities on the showfloor and in the Retailers’ Lounge, Mastercard will be hosting a private lunch on Day 1.  We will also host the ‘Big Retal Reunion Party’, taking place at the Champagne Bar at the end of Day 1, which gives retailers the chance to catch up and raise a glass with peers, suppliers and industry influencers.

Don’t miss out – register for free:

Registration to the event that brings together Europe’s leading tech innovators and most forward-thinking retailers and brands is now open. To register to attend and start planning your visit, go to: https://bit.ly/RTS22prreg

 

 

 

The founder of Gener8, the digital data firm which rose to fame on Dragon’s Den, Sam Jones, and Gener8 investor and platinum selling, British rap artist, Tinie Tempah, have been confirmed as Headline Speakers at Retail Technology Show, the new flagship event for retail that brings together Europe’s most forward-thinking retailers and leading tech innovators.  They complete Retail Technology Show’s line-up of over 90 retail visionaries, including New Look, Pandora, Dreams, The Very Group and Amazon, who are also confirmed to speak at retail’s premier event, taking place at London’s Olympia on 26-27 April 2022.

Rising to fame on BBC’s Dragon’s Den with his innovative business Gener8, a browser extension that enables people to take back control and monetise their data when buying and searching online, Sam Jones will be joined on the Headline Stage with one of his investors and British rap star, Tinie Tempah.  Tinie Tempah was just one of several stars, including Harry Redknapp, who invested in Gener8 as part of an angel funding round of £2.1million in June 2021.

Their session will unpick the journey of the fast-growth, tech start-up and its roadmap to a projected £1billion business by 2030, as well as exploring changes to the digital landscape that will present new commercial opportunities to retailers and brands, the rise of NFTs and the impact of data privacy changes, both to consumers and to retailers looking to engage shoppers.

Sam Jones and Tinie Tempah’s session will replace that of Steven Bartlett, and follows another Day 1 keynote delivered by New Look chairman and Ex-Sainsbury’s CEO, Mike Coupe, who joins the Leadership & Culture track to explore new leadership strategies that retailers need to embrace to drive market share in 2022 and beyond.  Bringing the brightest minds in retail to the stage, Retail Technology Show’s conference programme extends to six key tracks, tackling the most pressing issues and industry trends, with three feature stages covering every aspect of retailers’ operations, showcasing best practice inspiration and the cutting-edge innovation driving change at pace and scale within the industry.

Matt Bradley, Event Director for the Retail Technology Show, commented:

“We know the retailers and brands who visit Retail Technology Show never stop searching for new inspiration and the latest curve-pushing innovations – and neither do we.  So, I am delighted that with just under a week to go until Retail Technology Show reunites retail at London Olympia, we’ve brought two more exceptional speakers to the Headline stage, as part of our commitment to bringing the brightest and most innovative minds in the industry to the stage.”

The leading retailers and brands speaking on Retail Technology Show’s conference programme will join 200+ innovators exhibiting at the event, showcasing the latest cutting-edge technologies to digitally transform retailers’ businesses.  With innovation from technology providers spanning new ecommerce capabilities to new solutions to power payments, future-proof supply chains, optimise operations and empower the retail workforce, retailers can explore the full spectrum of retail technology for every part of their business, all under one roof.

Registration to the event that brings together Europe’s leading tech innovators and most forward-thinking retailers and brands is open. To register to attend, visit: https://bit.ly/RTS22prreg

Builders’ merchant, Bradfords Building Supplies, has transformed the way it merchandises its products online using a solution from Akeneo, the global leader in product experience management (PXM) and product information management (PIM).  With better, enriched product data, Bradfords has grown online conversions by 20% with Akeneo PXM Studio.

Founded in  1770 in Somerset, Bradfords has been serving its community of building tradesmen for over 250 years.  From its beginnings supporting local communities with farming and agricultural supplies, it has grown into a builders’ merchant with over 40 locations in the UK, selling through its Bradfords Building Supplies and Yeovil Plumbing Supplies stores, as well as direct via its B2B (business to business) and D2C (direct to consumer) ecommerce sites, and more recently marketplaces.

Prior to working with Akeneo, the builders’ merchant was using a mix of spreadsheets and manual processes to manage product information, which were both time consuming to update and prone to error – a problem that was exacerbated as its online order volumes grew, rising +26% in 2020, its numbers of sales channels grew online, and it enhanced its digital D2C offer. Ruth Rose, Bradfords’ Product Data Manager, explained, “We were trying to cope using a series of disjointed processes that meant any enrichment would take multiple teams’ involvement to complete a simple product set up, and we could not easily see what information was missing. Using Akeneo completely changed the way we work, giving us structure and the ability to monitor and report on the completeness of ranges. It then became clearer what effect the missing information would have from a front-end point of view on the website and was in turn easier to fix.”

Bradfords was also unable to see clearly what information was missing from online product listings and had to rely on suppliers who in turn did not always have the information, which impacted shopper confidence and, ultimately, conversions, as Fergus Bell, Head of eCommerce, explained:

“This was not a problem in our stores because we have staff on hand who are product experts and can use their expertise to guide and assist the shopper during their buying journey, providing real-time product information to support the sale.  But as our business grew online, we weren’t able to offer the same levels of one-to-one service in the way we would in the store.  And we knew, in our very competitive market, this was simply not good enough because detailed and accurate product information is a vital step in the journey to conversion.”

The problem of online product information management was also compounded by the fact that Bradfords trades not just on its own websites but through multiple marketplaces, including eBay and Amazon, which come with their own nuances and templates for product information that they require from merchants selling through their platforms.

Partnering with Akeneo, Bradfords was able to overhaul its systems and processes by centralising all product information in one platform, creating a single source of truth for product data and imagery, while removing operational silos and driving efficiencies.

By introducing Akeneo’s PIM solution and automating the workflow, Bradfords has cut the time taken to onboard a new product from three days to two hours or less, as well as helping its marketplace partners deliver exceptional, engaging and compelling content at the point of sale to meet the evolved needs of increasingly digital-first shoppers.  This has built confidence into their customers’ online buying journeys, with more accurate and richer product information helping Bradfords to improve online conversions by 20%, whilst also helping to reduce returns, as shoppers are better supported through PIM to select the tool that is right for them.  Bell continued:

“Online sales have become a bigger part of the business, and Akeneo’s PIM solution has played a key part in helping us optimise the digital sales channels and increase conversion. Not only are we seeing conversion rates improve, but we are also seeing returns volumes falling because customers are ordering and getting the product that is exactly what they asked for or that best matches their needs.”

“We are just scratching the surface of what the solution can do,” Bell continued.  “We are now looking to use it to build product associations to make our customers’ buying journeys even easier.  We will also investigate its Asset Management capabilities to create an even better customer experience and make it easier for us to introduce rich content assets, such as video, which are popular with non-trade customers, which represent our fastest-growing market segment.”

Fred de Gombert, CEO and Co-Founder of Akeneo, commented:

“Increasingly forward-thinking retailers are recognising the role of PIM, which is becoming the cornerstone for commercial success.  While this is true of any retail organisation, it is particularly pertinent when it comes to complex or considered purchases, such as with Building supplies and DIY, or where a supported sale is needed to help the shopper select and buy the right tool for the job.  And this is something that Bradfords are using to drive competitive advantage in a traditional retail sector that’s looking to digitally transform and meet the new online needs of both B2B and B2C customers.”

“We’re thrilled Bradfords are not only seeing the benefits of our PIM solution across their own channels, but that is helping them streamline and enhance their marketplace strategy, so it can now deliver compelling, consistent and personalised product experiences across all of its touchpoints,” de Gombert concluded.

Gen X consumers, the demographic aged between 41-56, are increasingly shopping direct-to-consumer (DTC) and cross-border online, making them a key audience for brands and retailers looking to reach consumers primed to purchase, according to ESW’s ‘Global Voices: 2022’.

Often overlooked in favour of the digitally native Millennial and Gen Z consumers, research in the US revealed Gen X are the second highest annual spenders (US$357B), second only to Baby Boomers.   This spending power is borne out by ESW’s research of more than 14,000 consumers across fourteen countries which reveals in 2021 Gen X represented 21% of its ‘Power Shopper’ cohort – a high value group of consumers who purchased 11 or more times from another country – an increase of 24% year-on-year (YOY) from 2020.

Millennial shoppers make up the majority (55%) of Power Shoppers with Gen Z in third place at 15%.   Geographically, the markets with the highest number of Gen X Power Shoppers are the UAE (53%), India (42%), China (38%), the UK (27%) and the US (26%).

During the same time, online purchasing via marketplaces by Gen X consumers (73%) dropped by -6% YOY in comparison to 2020.  40% of Gen X respondents reported shopping direct with multi-brand or single-brand retailers, making them an important audience for DTC brands to target.  Indeed, Gen X show some of the highest preference rates (37%) for online vs. in-store shopping – second only to Millennials (39%) and higher than both Gen Z and Baby Boomers (both 30%).

Gen X shoppers were also revealed to be the highest in-market online purchasers of clothing from domestic brands and retailers, with 69% of respondents having made a clothing purchase in 2021.  A family lifestyle may influence the higher purchasing rate in this key vertical with Gen Xers, now well in the middle of their lives, potentially shopping for themselves, their children and possibly parents.

And while pester-power from brand-conscious children and teens may drive some of these purchasing decisions, to capitalise on the significant spending power of Gen X consumers, retailers must recognise this audience values different aspects of the online shopping experience than younger demographics.

Having experienced the full force of the 2008 recession, a third (30%) of Gen X respondents report becoming more fiscally conservative as a result of the pandemic with 29% highlighting the desire to find the lowest possible price as their motivation for shopping cross-border.  This translates to a need on behalf of retailers to highlight value and provide transparency around costs, including taxes and shipping to convert Gen X shoppers.

While Gen X consumers prefer more traditional payment types like credit cards (49%) and Paypal (45%), many are adopting digital technologies faster, like mobile and digital wallets (14%) and Buy Now Pay Later (11%).  Capitalising on the purchasing power for these consumers means being cognisant of their openness to technology and their payment preferences through different purchasing paths.

From a technology standpoint, Gen Xers were at the forefront of the transition from analogue to digital and while excessive internet use is typically attributed to younger generations, Gen Xers are well-versed in using social channels to research and discover new products.  YouTube (47%), Facebook (46%) and Instagram (30%) are the most popular channels over more traditional outlets, such as television (21%) or newspapers and magazines (15%), a shift brands and retailers must consider when developing content and customer engagement strategies for the Gen X demographic.

“Understandably, many retailers and brands prioritise younger demographics building marketing and selling strategies to suit their digital-first tastes.  However, our data shows that Gen X are increasingly participating in both international and domestic ecommerce and bringing significant spending power with them.  However, to capitalise on this increase retailers and brands must recognise this demographic place importance on different aspects of the shopping experience than their younger counterparts,” commented Martim Avillez Oliveira, Chief Commercial Officer, EMEA at ESW.

“Shoppers in this age group still gravitate to online marketplaces, so retailers and brands seeking to reach them directly need to make sure their shopping experience presents clear evidence of value alongside the convenience of tracked shipping, clear refund policies and easy in-market returns. Being aware of these generational differences and offering Gen X an ecommerce experience that caters to their specific preferences ensures that brands can create long-lasting, relationships that bring significant life-time value,” he concluded.

Brands deploying ESW’s Fluency and Symphony DTC solutions can enter both domestic and new international markets in a matter of weeks, many times faster than if they attempted to do so on their own and access a suite of market-leading ecommerce solutions across store, pricing, payments, checkout, fraud and delivery – all through a single integration. ESW’s Velocity consultancy service provides the expertise to execute successful growth initiatives across customer experience, acquisition, and retention, all while engaging directly with customers and retaining ownership of all the data collected during the shopping journey.

Retailers’ recent Metaverse plays are prompting greater digitally-driven demands for product information, the latest data from Akeneo, the global leader in product experience management (PXM), reveals.

Original research of over 1,800 shoppers in its latest 2022 B2C Survey: Product Experience Satisfaction Around the World’ Report, showed that over two fifths (42%) of UK consumers now want to use Augmented Reality (AR) to find product information in their buying journeys, as more brands and retailers begin to offer Metaverse retail formats.

Following first-move Metaverse plays from luxury and high-end brands including Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger and Dolce & Gabbana, Selfridges became the first department store to open up a virtual flagship earlier in March.  Featuring 70 brands, its Metaverse flagship allows shoppers the chance to see and explore exclusive Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) by brands including Paco Rabanne in its virtual store, which is also set up to take crypto-payments and accept digital and cryptocurrency.

As well as wanting AR to play a more prominent role in product discovery, other digital formats of product information are now also being demanded by shoppers.  Almost a third (32%) of UK consumers wanted to be able to use voice commerce technology to find out more about the goods and services they are looking to buy, while 37% would be open to using chatbots in the future as part of product discovery in their paths to purchase.

While digital demand for product information is growing, the role of the store in delivering product information remains; 72% of those polled say they use multiple sources and channels when researching a product and deciding what to buy, and a further 81% have started a product search in-store and have gone on to buy it online.

This omnichannel expectation of access to product information becomes even more important as insufficient product information not only leads to lost sales and abandoned purchases, but also risks brand loyalty being diminished.   Six in ten (62%) said they would abandon a purchase due to poor product information, while two thirds (65%) would stop buying from a brand altogether due to poor product details, saying they would lose trust with that retailer.

“The way we shop is rapidly changing and it’s essential to understand not only how and where consumers are engaging with your products, but what their expectations are for your brand.” said Fred de Gombert, CEO at Akeneo. “The product experience that you design for your various online channels must first be consistent and second be continued through all the points where your consumers will be making their purchases and returns, be they digital or physical. This survey provides retailers with a roadmap of what to prioritise when thinking about their omnichannel strategy, with rich and consistent product experiences being at the top of the list.”

For further information on the new ways shoppers now want to discover brands and the role of PIM and PXM in increasing conversions, CLV and loyalty, download the 2022 Global B2C Survey Report: here.

The shortlist for Retail Technology Show’s 2022 Innovation Awards has been announced, featuring the top 10 tech picks from the innovations on display at the new flagship event for retail that brings together Europe’s most forward-thinking retailers and leading tech innovators. 

A mainstay of Retail Technology Show’s commitment to showcasing the most progressive innovations that help drive retail businesses forward, the awards celebrate and recognise the most future-forward technologies with the power to transform retailers’ operations.

Selected from the 200+ retail technology providers who will be exhibiting at the show, which takes place on 26 & 27 April 2022 at London Olympia, the shortlist for the Retail Technology Show’s 2022 Innovation Awards, listed in alphabetical order, are:

1. Attensi – (Stand 6B58) – A gamified training solution, Attensi helps retailers reimagine how they upskill, motivate and reward their staff, empowering retail teams to deliver the performance needed to drive real and measurable impact.  The immersive, 3D gamified solutions are powered by best of breed insights from human psychology, learning and development and gaming, delivering an interactive and engaging employee experience on any device.
2. Cegid – (Stand 6C80) – Global unified commerce provider Cegid’s Live Retail Store solution is a new generation of collaborative in-store apps, designed to make customer journeys smoother and help deliver the most efficient omnichannel experience.  Blending off-line and on-line buying journeys seamlessly on one unified commerce platform, it enhances customer experience and ensures retailers never miss a sale.
3. Datalogic – (Stand 6B88) – Shortlisted for its new packing bench solution, the Matrix 320 helps retailers and ecommerce teams improve operational efficiencies to streamline the picking and packing of online orders. With integrated ergonomic top-mounted scanners, the solution processes the scanning of items making up an order, driving increased productivity, saved labour hours and improved order accuracy.
4. Dayrize – (Stand 6A50) – With demand for green retailing on the rise, Dayrize’s sustainability-driven solution offers advanced impact measurement technology, providing transparency throughout the entire lifecycle of a product, making it easy for both consumers and businesses to understand – and ultimately reduce – their environmental impact.
5. InVue – (Stand 6E48) – Shortlisted for its NE360 mobile payment solution, which offers freedom and flexibility to retailers when choosing payment systems.  It combines any tablet or mobile device, any payment terminal, and any operating system at any time to create a flexible mobile Point of Sale (POS) solution
6. myPOS – (Stand 6J41) – The myPOS Glass is a software POS app that allows any retailer to take payments via cards, mobile wallets and NFC wearable devices on a mobile phone, turning any Android phone into a POS terminal, so payments can be made effortlessly, anywhere.
7. OneStock – (Stand 6A48) – The Delivery Promise from the omnichannel Order Management Solution (OMS) provider helps retailers deliver elevated online shopping delivery experiences, whilst also putting sustainability first.  Single, omnichannel stock pool visibility powers accurate data on inventory availability, and is unified on one platform to show the most efficient delivery methods, associated times and carbon footprints of each order.
8. PFS – (Stand 6J79) – RetailConnect from PFS is a cloud-based omnichannel solution that complements an existing OMS to automate and streamline store fulfilment operations. Integrated with an ecommerce platform, it uses a batch picking process and light-driven components to organise the pick-pack-ship operations within a retail store to increase productivity and reduce errors.
9. Red Ant – (Stand 6D85) – Selected for its clienteling app that empowers store associates with the tools, content and insights they need to deliver truly personalised customer experience, from in-depth customer insight to streamlined, fully personalised communications and seamless checkout, in-store and online.
10. StorIQ – (Stand 6B01) – The task management and retail operations platform is designed to drive retail productivity and increase sales through elevated in-store execution, bringing store communications, task management, visual merchandising compliance, and store visits together in one app.

The shortlist was curated by an industry-leading judging panel, made up of retail leaders from Retail Technology Show’s Advisory Board as well as industry experts, including Retail Reflections’ Andrew Busby and Retail Connections’ editor and independent retail analyst, Chris Field.

The winner of the 2022 Innovation Awards, sponsored by Google Cloud, will be crowned at Retail Technology Show’s BIG Retail Reunion Party on Day 1 (26 April), from 4pm at the Champagne Bar.

Matt Bradley, Event Director for the Retail Technology Show, commented:

“Innovation is retail’s lifeblood and the Innovation Awards look to recognise, celebrate and champion the very best examples of technological advancement within the industry.  From tech that can revolutionise store experiences, power payments or create sustainability gains in the supply chain and beyond, we’ve seen a masterclass in innovation by those tech suppliers making the shortlist.  Many congratulations to the top ten, and we look forward to crowning the winner and raising a glass to their achievements at the BIG Retail Reunion party.”

Registration to the event that brings together Europe’s leading tech innovators and most forward-thinking retailers and brands is live. To register to attend for free, visit: https://bit.ly/RTS22prreg

 

Wunderkind, a leading performance marketing engine that scales one-to-one messages for top retailers, has announced the launch of a strategic partnership with Contentsquare, a digital experience analytics AI-powered platform that provides rich and contextual insight into customer behaviours, feelings and intent — at every touchpoint in their buying journey.

 

This strategic integration with Contentsquare allows eCommerce brands to uncover in-depth insights into the behaviour of users identified by Wunderkind campaigns.  Marketers can leverage Contentsquare to determine the specific shopping behaviour of users that engage with Wunderkind campaigns and use that insight to make site changes and optimise the shopping experience, ultimately driving increased revenue.  More than 50 mutual eCommerce customers will initially benefit from the collaborative user behaviour insights, with even more top retailers expected to benefit from the new partnership in the coming weeks and months.

 

“Wunderkind’s expertise in helping brands achieve greater customer engagement and revenue, combined with Contentsquare’s proven success in understanding the user experience, will undoubtedly empower brands to make more informed, strategic and data-driven marketing decisions,” said Michael Osborne, President, Wunderkind. “We are excited to deliver an even greater understanding of site traffic and customer behaviour to our valued clients through this partnership.”

 

By leveraging the Wunderkind-Contentsquare partnership, leading retailers, such as UrbanStems, Tumi, and Hugo Boss, will be able to understand more about their users, and tailor and personalise their customers’ experiences more effectively.

 

“Our strategic partnership with Contentsquare comes at a time when consumer demand for personalisation is accelerating in the UK,” says Wulfric Light-Wilkinson, GM EMEA at Wunderkind. “To be able to convert and retain customers, retailers need to deliver the tailored, one-to-one customer engagement experiences shoppers now expect across digital channels. To achieve this, you need rich data insights, delivered at scale, which is just what our partnership with Contentsquare unlocks for brands and retailers.”

 

Original research of over 2,000 UK consumers in Wunderkind’s ‘Countdown to 2023’ report revealed that 58% said personalisation would make them more likely to convert, while a further 62% would be more loyal to those brands and retailers who tailored engagement towards them. This also means the personalisation imperative is rising up the ranks of retailers’ and brands’ priorities; separate research of over 60 senior UK ecommerce and marketing professionals, also by Wunderkind, showed that two-thirds (66%) felt personalisation was a critical initiative in their current operations, while seven in 10 (71%) believed it would become increasingly important over the next 5 years.

 

“Contentsquare’s digital experience analytics platform helps companies better recognise customer preferences to create more human experiences using rich and contextual insight,” said Gilad Zubery, EVP Global Business Development & Partnerships, Contentsquare. “We are thrilled to partner with Wunderkind and combine our respective industry expertise to improve the customer experience, deliver even greater value in personalised messaging, and fuel the understanding, trust, and creativity brand marketers need to win in today’s competitive marketplace.”

Pop-ups have been part of the online landscape for decades. For much of that time they’ve had a pretty poor reputation – but is it justified? Is it time for detractors to reassess their relationship with the humble pop-up? Are they an unfairly maligned element of the web browsing experience? We caught up with Danielle Auerbach, RVP Customer Success at Wunderkind, to find out more.

In my opinion, pop-ups have had a rough ride, and they need a defender. It’s time to switch up the narrative and discuss the benefits of pop-ups, as well as how—and why—brands should make use of them.

What is a pop-up?

A pop-up is, quite simply, a small window that pops up when a visitor is on a webpage. They’re often used by brands to highlight something—a discount code or an opportunity to sign up to a newsletter, for example—or to provide additional information.

Some might suggest they interrupt the browsing experience, but if used properly, there’s no reason why they can’t actually enhance a visitor’s time on a website. In fact, when utilised effectively, pop-ups can kickstart a long-term relationship between customer and brand.

Why are they used?

Pop-ups are generally used by brands who have a very particular goal in mind. More often than not the pop-up’s role is to generate leads, which usually means capturing a consumer’s email address or a phone number. 

The key is to give the consumer a reason to hand over their personal information. This can be done in a number of ways, but the underlying concept is always the same – provide them with something they consider worthy of trading their email address for. Exactly what this is will differ from brand to brand. 

If you sell shoes the pop-up might offer a discount on shipping, while if you provide high-tech agricultural software, it might be best to go down the route of offering a research paper showcasing the product’s benefits. Whatever the offer, it needs to speak directly to your audience, and needs to offer them something they’ll find valuable.

Benefits for brands

Brands should consider pop-ups as prompts. They’re there to encourage or entice customers to do something, be it enter a competition or download a specific piece of content. 

Pop-ups are powerful because they offer a single point of focus; not only do they draw the eye, but they demand to be interacted with. If the pop-up’s message is alluring, and the benefits to the customer are made clear, they can be a great way to build a database of people who like what you do.

And, once you’ve captured a consumer’s data, you’re likely to gain value from them long into the future. That initial 5% discount on a hoodie is a small price for a retailer to pay for a loyal, dedicated customer.

Wunderkind data shows that, with the right strategy in place, brands can achieve a pop-up conversion rate of around 18%, which is absolutely not to be sniffed at.

Using pop-ups effectively

When deploying pop-ups on your site, there are a few key things to remember:

• Be clear and concise. Pop-ups don’t give you a lot of space to work with, so get straight to the point, and make sure your message is accurate and tempting. 
• Inject personality. Don’t be afraid to showcase your brand’s personality. This helps to build relationships and establish rapport. 
• Offer value. If you’re not providing a tantalising benefit, or offering a tempting reason for a consumer to exchange their details, your pop-up won’t perform well. 
• Don’t overwhelm. Don’t bombard consumers with pop-ups. Use them sparingly, and ensure that you have a very clear idea of what you’d like them to achieve. Once you’ve captured a visitor’s data, make sure they don’t receive introductory pop-ups. 
• Get them before they leave. It seems like an obvious point, but make sure your pop-ups actually pop up. Exit pop-ups, designed to capture attention when a visitor is on the verge of leaving your site, can work well, but the offer needs to be attractive – a 10% discount, free delivery or free gift with purchase, for example. 

It’s important to realise that even the most carefully crafted pop-up won’t work every time. While it’s certainly valuable to let a campaign run so performance can be observed over time, it’s also worth trialling new concepts, copy and images, as well as different offers, to figure out the ideal formula.

Pop-ups are by no means the scourge they have historically been purported to be; they have a lot to offer brands and consumers alike when used appropriately, and can very quickly become a primary means of gathering first-party consumer data that will, once cookies disappear, be even more essential to a brand’s marketing efforts.