Solutions & Innovations (March-April 2023)
Aromyx, a data company that biologically replicates the human senses of taste and smell, introduced a consumer-facing product-recommendation AI technology in January. The system relies on actual responses to taste and smell, not inferences based on other people’s purchasing behavior. It analyzes a consumer’s likes and dislikes about tastes and fragrances and then suggests food, beverages or perfumes based on how its taste or smell matches an individual’s affinities. Aromyx has more than two dozen Fortune 500 customers in the U.S.
In February, Spotselfie launched “Meta Store,” part of its AR/real-world social metaverse, which allows users to post virtual objects geo-tagged to locations. Meta Store will enable college students who register to claim a 100-foot diameter circle at a GPS location on campus where they can build an AR meta store and drop ads for merchandise or services such as tutoring. The owner of the store retains revenue generated from their services within that designated area. AR users receive a pop-up when they walk into a GPS-located ad boundary.
In January, Fulcrum Biometrics (a subsidiary of Japanese multinational Fujitsu) unveiled a biometric-payment system based on palm vein identification. After a one-time registration, shoppers can authenticate payment by simply moving their palm over a near infrared (NIR) sensor, speeding up checkout and lowering the risk of fraud. Every person has a unique pattern of veins in their hands, making palm vein ID more accurate and less intrusive than using a fingerprint or facial-recognition system.
Mercatus recently introduced Mercatus Mobile, a rebuilt mobile commerce platform for regional grocery retailers and their shoppers. Noting that 30% of online grocery shoppers cross-shop between mass merchants and regional grocers, the platform now offers functions such as seamless cart building and checkout, personalization, rewards and loyalty. It also takes advantage of existing platform integrations, including Instacart Connect and DoorDash Drive. Currently the platform is used by Weis Markets, Save Mart, WinCo and Winn-Dixie, among others.
In February, Subway announced it was partnering with GenZ EV Solutions, a provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, on a pilot called the “EV Charging Oasis” that will appear at some new and newly remodeled restaurants in 2023. Subway said it plans to offer guests special promotions available only while utilizing a station. The company said it also will test various sizes and types of locations with franchisees, and might even develop entire “Subway EV Charging Oasis parks” in the future.
In January at CES 2023, MAVI.io demoed its latest in-vehicle shopping and menu-ordering service. The “OnMyWay Mobile Retail Network” brings shopping options to the dashboard of vehicles with “connected car” technology. Beyond basic ordering and payment, drivers can check inventory (to ensure availability), view loyalty program data and have their destination calculated to expedite a pickup or curbside hand-off. MAVI.io is a member of the Connected Vehicle Systems Alliance (COVESA), an open-source industry group founded by BMW and Ford.
In late January, Williams-Sonoma launched native shopping apps for its Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen banners. The two new iPhone apps feature a registry for adding and tracking items; a “Shop by Life Stage” feature that lets users browse best-selling pieces alongside customized recommendations; “Baby to Big Kid” suggestions; and teen lifestyle and dorm-room ideas. Users can share favorite items with contacts and through social media, as well as design and then shop “3-D rooms.”
Indyme’s “Freedom Case” lets shoppers trade their info for self-service access to locked merchandise; no more waiting for clerks to show up. Shoppers can use their cell phone number, a retailer’s app, a loyalty card or even their faces to open the case. AI sensors monitor movement and if suspicious behaviors are detected, various alarms and notifications are activated. It also monitors units removed, frequency of access and door-open durations.
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Starship Technologies’ fleet of 50 autonomous robots began delivering from six University of Notre Dame campus eateries, including Modern Market, Au Bon Pain and Taco Bell. Students can use the Grubhub app to order through a special integration with their university meal plan. Each robot carries the equivalent of three grocery bags of goods and journeys are monitored via an interactive map.
Early this year, Amazon began rolling out (to select customers only at first) “Inspire,” an in-app feed with personalized shoppable photos and videos based on a user’s selected interests and history. Once users tap a "light bulb" icon in the bottom navigation bar and favorite some interests, they can start scrolling. Amazon is also telling brands — vendors or sellers enrolled in its Brand Registry and with an active Brand Store — that the qualifying photos they post to Brand Posts are eligible to appear in Inspire.
In January, a New York H&M store in Brooklyn, New York, installed a hologram-like special effects display using a system called “Epic” from Proto. Located in the front window, it presented a life-size 4K UHD hologram of an instructor from a neighboring dance studio wearing H&M’s Move clothing. Expect to see more of this: A live subject can now be beamed in real time from any mobile phone to any Proto device, and a desktop version could launch in Q4 2023.
Shy shoppers now have a new privacy option: SAXX, a premium men’s apparel brand, has launched a virtual store, powered by Emperia, that lets shoppers browse 3D underwear, tops and swimwear in a 360-degree showroom. Upon entering, shoppers land in an “oxymoronic” environment (i.e., “it’s snowing in a desert,” etc.) and find their way to shoppable product displays in an open-air showroom. To get to another exclusive retail space, your virtual shopper must figure out how to “dive” into a pool that reveals a variety of swimwear prints.
In January, ReserveBar launched “Getstocked.com,” a “content-centric destination” with a curated, 600-SKU selection of craft beer, canned wine, ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs), hard seltzers, non-alcoholic options and celebrity-led brands. Two-hour (or less) on-demand delivery is available in select markets, with fulfillment by a network of 4,500 retailers working in compliance with local regulations. A shipping-only option is also offered.
Bedgear is introducing a "retail theater display," driven by artificial intelligence, that personalizes the bedding-product shopping decision. Called “The Fitting Room,” it is a contactless method that uses 3D-scanning technology, which can calculate and record a shopper’s body type while capturing their input on their nightly sleep positions and temperature preferences. An AI-driven personalized result then directs them to the best fit within Bedgear’s line of breathable bedding products.