2. OMS specialist OneStock scores $72 million investment for international expansion with particular focus on US market
OneStock, a provider of order management systems (OMS), has announced a $72 million investment from Summit Partners.
OneStock was founded in 2015 by CEO, Romulus Grigoras, and CTO, Benoit Baccot, to help retailers and brands navigate the increasing complexity of the omnichannel landscape and enhance overall customer experience.
The company’s cloud native solution provides a centralised platform designed to manage end-to-end order fulfilment and visibility and enable retailers to offer a ‘buy anywhere, deliver anywhere, return anywhere’ experience to customers.
“Since the beginning, we have been dedicated to creating smarter and more sustainable shopping experiences, and our partnership with Summit marks a thrilling new chapter in our journey, reaffirming our long-term commitment to innovation and growth in the retail technology space,” comments Grigoras.
“With Summit’s support and the benefit of their deep experience in the retail technology sector, we’re poised to accelerate our growth even further. Our clear ambition is to emerge as the number one global leader in the OMS category.”
3. LEGOLAND Windsor Resort launches Europe’s first theme park checkout-free store powered by Zippin
Zippin and Aramark UK have partnered with LEGOLAND Windsor Resort to launch Europe’s first checkout-free store in a theme park. The store, which recently opened for the 2024 season, lets resort guests grab items without having to join a queue.
DUPLO Coffee Co, located in DUPLO Valley, sells a variety of sandwiches, snacks, coffee, and other drinks.
It was converted into a Zippin powered store where guests can enter with a credit card or mobile wallet, take what they want, and exit.
There are no checkout lines and no stopping to scan purchases. Guests are automatically billed for what they take as they exit.
4. Walmart Realm leverages Emperia technology for industry first influencer led virtual stores in immersive worlds
Walmart Realm has gone live, pitched as a first of its kind immersive commerce marketplace featuring influencer driven virtual shops.
This leverages technology from Emperia and gamifies the shopping journey, transporting customers into fantastical realms where they can interact with products and play nostalgic online games.
In a LinkedIn post, Justin Breton, Director of Brand Experiences & Strategic Partnerships, said: “Introducing Walmart Realm, the first ever immersive commerce experience curated by creators and inspired by social trends. Trust me when I say… You’ve never experienced online shopping like this before.”
“Walmart Realm embraces the limitless possibilities of virtual technologies, creating stunning shoppable environments to inspire our customers. Said differently, it’s not just a replica of a store or structure.”
“We’re continuing to shorten the distance between inspiration and commerce, highlighting the best fashion, beauty, and home products as selected by our creator partners, in each virtual shop.”
5. Retail technology analyst and influencer Natalie Berg added to 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards judging panel
The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our 2024 winners will be announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, which will be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ on Thursday, 21st November.
Entry forms and FAQs can be found here.
Natalie delivers valuable insights on the trends shaping the global retail sector, with a particular focus on the convergence of physical and digital commerce.
She is passionate about how retailers can enhance the customer experience and has co-authored two books on retail, including Amazon: How the World’s Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionise Commerce.
Natalie hosts the Retail Disrupted podcast and is a regular keynote speaker on the retail conference circuit.
She is an objective TV and radio commentator with frequent appearances on the BBC, Bloomberg and Sky News, and also writes a guest column for Retail Week and Forbes.
In addition to her media work, she is an elected member of the KPMG Retail Think Tank where she provides quarterly insights and analysis on the health of the UK retail sector.