Solutions & Innovations (May-June 2023)

The Official Black Wall Street (OBWS) app was a double winner in the recently announced “Webby Awards” for “Apps, dApps and Software: Shopping & Retail.” This category is defined as “mobile and OTT apps that provide consumers with online commerce, marketplaces and retail sales.” OBWS is a digital platform that lets shoppers review and shop Black-owned brands worldwide. It was named a 2023 Webby winner as well as the People’s Voice winner. A 2.0 app and platform are due to be released soon.

In March, DoorDash announced that it was “optimizing” its search and discovery services within retail stores to more accurately track and report on a store’s in-stock position. While still seen primarily as a meal-delivery service, DoorDash accesses more than 100,000 non-restaurant stores in North America across its marketplace and drive platforms. Adding real-time in-stock information is seen as critical to meeting DoorDash’s offer to make some types of on-demand deliveries within an hour.

Displai, an augmented reality (AR) platform, recently launched a partner program for the packaging and print industries. The program enables these companies to leverage technology and support services when creating AR-style virtual experiences through packaging. The program includes access to Displai’s proprietary AR software, training and co-marketing opportunities.

Tapcart, Shopify’s mobile commerce platform, is collaborating with Uninterrupted to build a “no-code” mobile platform that would let brands design, launch and manage an app without requiring coding or even development work. Uninterrupted is an “athlete empowerment” brand within SpringHill, a production company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, which enables pro players to become storytellers. The collaboration is launching with “The 300 Collection,” a clothing line inspired by Major League Baseball’s Mookie Betts and his passion for bowling and its sense of community.

Sune, an experiential shopping platform, recently launched a beta mobile app. Created by Live Shop Ventures and backed by parent Qurate Retail Group (owners of QVC and HSN, among others), it is aimed primarily at Gen Z shoppers hoping to engage directly with “under-discovered” products. Backers say it integrates videos and livestreams with traditional online and in-app shopping. Sune is available only for iPhone users at this time.

Snap has introduced a new service to its AR Enterprise Services (ARES) collection called “AR Mirrors.” The idea is to bring augmented reality experiences to life-size interactive displays at physical locations. Snap plans to partner with Coca-Cola to prototype an AR Mirrors-enabled vending machine that can be controlled via a shopper’s hand gestures. Nike recently tested AR Mirror technologies at one of its stores, enabling shoppers to learn about the “Swoosh High” campaign by “trying on” products and unlocking discounts.

Goodbuy is a browser-extension and app launch that aims to connect shoppers with brands whose values align with theirs. Goodbuy is an affiliate network that promotes participating Shopify stores that are small businesses; the extension is said to automatically reveal these brands to shoppers by placing them at the top of “mega retailer sites and searches.” There are no setup, product-click, selling or monthly subscription fees for the small business. Goodbuy takes 10% of each sale that’s made via the extension.

In mid-April, Chicago-born, Atlanta-based rapper Lil Durk announced the “public minting” of his 7220 NXTG3NZ “phygital” sneaker collection. The collection consists of 11,111 pairs (at $500 apiece) of custom-designed phygital sneakers on the Algorand blockchain. The collection allows holders of a 7220 token to wear their digital sneakers across multiple metaverses. However, the company will also “gift” each token-holder (in three to five months) with a physical pair of the sneakers so they can then “demonstrate their digital ownership” of the token out in the physical world.

Earlier this year, Patriot Shopper launched a database of 2 million products designed for shoppers searching for “Made in USA” items on e-commerce platforms, particularly Amazon. This browser extension prioritizes American-made products, putting them on top of search results. Another button eliminates products made in China from search results. Patriot Shopper plans to bring the browser extension to other e-commerce sites, including Walmart and Target, and to expand into the U.K., Japan, India and Germany.

Bedrock Analytics has announced a platform upgrade dubbed “Automated Insights” that it says leverages “generative AI” to automate insights for CPG brands. Developed using Open AI’s ChatGPT, it directs the appropriate AI language models to run on particular datasets within the Bedrock Platform without requiring users to type in commands. Bedrock analyzes data in more than 170 product categories.

The Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag is testing ways to shift shopper behavior toward using reusable bags. Signage, marketing efforts and other customer prompts are appearing in the Denver and Tucson, Arizona, market areas. In a second effort, the Returnable Bag Pilot, CVS and Target are testing a returnable-bag service model: customers “buy” a bag at checkout that can be redeemed at participating stores for the $1 deposit. That bag will then be washed, redistributed and reused.

ReserveBar, an e-commerce platform for premium and luxury beverage alcohol, recently launched a tourism website called “Destination Distillery” with the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. As part of its “e-commerce everywhere” strategy, the platform maps out state-by-state journeys into the history of various spirits categories that lets customers discover 42 “off-the-beaten-path” operating distilleries.