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M&S rolls out AR video for parcels


By Alexandra Leonards

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is rolling out Hermes Play, which enables customers to access augmented reality (AR) videos on its parcel labels during the festive season. Hermes Play allows video messages to be added to parcel labels using by using the barcode.


Primark loses £430m during autumn period

The owner of Primark has estimated a £430 million loss in sales across the autumn period as the bricks and mortar retailer suffered from lockdown closures. Primark does not have an online store operation, which is likely to have contributed to such a significant loss during Coronavirus restrictions.

John Lewis launches DNA lifestyle pop up

DNA lifestyle firm DnaNudge has launched a new pop-up service at the John Lewis store in Kingston, Surrey. Shoppers will be able to visit the pop-up and explore the world's first “in-store” genetic test - the results of which enable you to “shop with your DNA” by scanning food and drink items to see which products offer the best match for your unique biology.

NCSC launches Cyber Aware campaign

The National Cyber Centre (NCSC) has launched a Cyber Aware campaign aimed at helping people shop securely online this Christmas. The government campaign, led by the cyber security arm of GCHQ, is aiming to raise awareness of the risks after research found that victims of online shopping fraud in England and Wales lost an average of £775 during last year’s festive period.

DFS drives online sofa sales with 3D and AR technology

Furniture retailer DFS has partnered 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) technology firm Vertebrae to drive online sales. The technology firm said that its web-based visualisation technology has assisted with augmenting more than 10,000 questions about the dimensions, fit, function and style of sofas as shoppers shifted online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UK total footfall down 65% in November

Year-on-year UK footfall decreased 65.4 per cent in November, with a 31.9 per cent decline from October, according to the latest British Retail Consortium-ShopperTrak data. Footfall on the High Street declined by 63.9 per cent year-on-year as the impact of shop closures from the second coronavirus lockdown took hold.

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Peloton opens tech showroom in Harrods

Peloton, the online cycle fitness platform has opened a retail showroom in Harrods.The home-based workout platform, which provides workouts linked to its stationary connected Peloton cycles and treadmills, has opened the showroom on the fifth floor technology department at Harrod’s department store in Knightsbridge.

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Quarter of Brits wouldn’t admit to getting scammed

26 per cent of Brits would not admit to losing money in an online shopping scam. New research by HSBC found that British people were more likely to reveal their salaries (27 per cent) than to admit they had been a victim of a scam.

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Fast fashion falls out of favour

The ethics of retailer supply chains has been called into question recently, with brands now rushing to implement technology that gives better visibility into how products are made, sourced and shipped. The scandal that brought the issue into focus most recently was a report in July on Boohoo’s UK supply chain that had a significant impact on the company’s share price and reputation.

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Should ailing retailers dump stores post-COVID?

With High Street clothing and footwear retailers among the hardest hit by the Coronavirus lockdown, some are suggesting that those going under would be better to re-emerge as online-only brands.

Coronavirus-hit grocers struggle with supply chain modelling

The Coronavirus crisis has hit many industries hard, but those grocers expected to keep the nation fed and watered have been criticised in recent weeks for not being able to handle the surge in demand. The self-isolation advice and eventual lockdown across the UK has led people to stockpile certain key items, putting a serious strain on ‘just in time’ replenishment models not prepared for such spikes in sales – especially while dealing with staff shortages that cut available manpower by as much as a quarter.

Are shoppers ready for biometric payments?

The recent announcement that Amazon has started using palm scanning payment technology shone a light on the rise of biometric technology – and whether or not consumers are ready to let their bodies be part of transactions.

Delivery sector reacts to lockdown demand

One fairly predictable consequence of the Coronavirus lockdown has been a marked increase in the amount of online shopping – but how is the delivery and logistics sector dealing with the spike in demand this has caused?

Cashierless store trials struggle with security

Cashierless shopping trials are currently underway with a range of retailers across the US and Europe, but concerns around shop security could hold back the roll-out of the technology. In the last 12 months, the Co-Operative and Sainsbury’s supermarkets in the UK have run in-store pilot schemes, while Europe’s largest consumer electronics retailer MediaMarktSaturn recently deployed MishiPay’s mobile self-checkout solution in the world’s biggest electronics store in Hamburg.

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Find out how HULFT can help you manage data, integration, supply chain automation and digital transformation across your retail enterprise.

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Talking shop: retail technology solutions from Brother
Retail Systems editor Peter Walker sits down with Brother’s senior commercial client manager Jessica Stansfield to talk through the company’s solutions for retailers and hospitality businesses, what’s new in labelling technology, and the benefits of outsourcing printing.

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