Technology
Technology explores how digital innovation, automation, and data are transforming every aspect of UK retail. This section covers retail tech developments including AI, analytics, payment systems, robotics, and omnichannel solutions that enhance operations and customer experience. Retail Sector’s Technology coverage provides analysis and insight for retail executives, IT leaders, and suppliers, examining how digital transformation and emerging technologies drive competitiveness, efficiency, and long-term growth across the sector.
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Apr- 2018 -30 April
New tool developed to match catalogue items with those in a warehouse
Microsoft has developed a new tool aimed at the retail industry, to identify items by rough images and match them with those in a catalogue. The ‘Image Segmentation Tool’ will allow companies to manage the large collections of images held by the retailers. Inventory management is a growing challenge in…
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23 April
Alibaba and Valentino create 3D virtual store
Alibaba has partnered with Valentino to create an virtual 3D store that can be browsed by visitors to Alibaba’s Tmall Luxury Pavillion. The store will be mirrored in real life by a pop-up in Beijing’s fashionable Sanlitun district, as the two brands look to integrate the online and offline shopping…
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Mar- 2018 -27 March
Over 80% of national retailers snub new Instagram tech
A new selling feature on photo-sharing social media app, Instagram, has been ignored by more than 80% of retailers in its first week, according to Cybertill. Instagram rolled out a new ‘Shopping’ feature to business accounts in the United Kingdom, as well as Germany France, Italy Brazil, Canada, Spain and…
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15 March
Surface Pro with LTE Advanced review
The Surface Pro with LTE Advanced is the latest edition of Microsoft’s hybrid tablet-laptop brand. It features a sim card slot that allows for extensive online connectivity when not connected to a wifi network, and has been completely redesigned from its previous iterations. The hardware It’s a professional piece of…
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8 March
Co-op launches ‘pay in aisle’ mobile app technology
The Co-op has launched a new mobile app that allows customers to pay for their groceries in the aisle and avoid going to the till altogether. The ‘shop, scan and go’ initiative is being trialled at a Co-op’s store in the group’s support centre in Manchester, with a wider roll-out…
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Feb- 2018 -15 February
UK customers ‘happy to be served by a robot’
A third of respondents in a Fujitsu survey said they’d be happy to be served by a robot when they go to the supermarket. The Transforming Britain Report conducted by the IT company also found that 34% of the 2,145 consumers asked would like an automated machine to deliver their…
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8 February
Retailers risk breaking GDPR by using consumer messaging apps
The majority of the UK’s leading retail chains are at risk of a data protection crisis, according to research published by workplace messaging app Yapster. Over 50% of store managers surveyed for ‘Views From the Salesfloor’ report said they use WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or personal text message as their main…
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2 February
Amazon’s quarterly profits approach $2bn for first time
Online retailing giant Amazon has enjoyed its best ever quarter with profits almost reaching $2bn (£1.42bn) for the first time in the company’s history. The online retail giant reported that it saw its net income more than double to $1.9bn (£1.33bn) in the fourth quarter ending December 31 2017, up…
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2 February
Apple announces record-breaking quarter with £14.1bn net profit
Technology giant Apple has posted a record-breaking £14.1bn in net profit for the three months ending December 30 2017. The world’s most valuable company also posted a 13% increase in revenue to £62.07bn for the same period. This comes despite a decrease of 1% in the number of iPhones sold…
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Jan- 2018 -30 January
Maplin introduces ‘order now, pay later’ scheme
Maplin has introduced a new scheme that allows it customers to spread out the cost over time or even pay later for items ordered online. The technology retailer has partnered with financial technology supplier Klarna to use their Pay Later and Slice it services. Pay later enables online and mobile…
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