RTIH Christmas Newsletter 20.12.24

As 2024 draws to a close, we’re reflecting on a fantastic year for the RTIH community. From groundbreaking industry insights to our biggest RTIH Innovation Awards yet, it’s been a thrilling ride.

On 21st November, we celebrated retail tech’s finest at our sixth annual RTIH Innovation Awards at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ. Sponsored by Vista Technology Support , Scala , CADS , 3D Cloud , Brightpearl by Sage ’s Lightning 50, Business France , and Retail Technology Show 2025, the event honoured the cutting-edge innovations and forward-thinking leaders driving the industry forward. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and made it a night to remember! ??

This year also saw us break exclusive retail tech stories, deliver top-notch interviews, and grow our community across social platforms. With nearly 20,000 followers on LinkedIn and ever-increasing website visitors, we’re proud to remain the go-to source for omnichannel retail technology news.

Looking ahead, 2025 promises even more excitement: an expanded RTIH Innovation Awards and the launch of the AI in Retail Awards on 3rd July at The Barbican in London. Mark your calendars – you won’t want to miss it!

Thank you for your continued support, engagement, and passion. Wishing you all a joyful festive season and a fantastic New Year! ???

We’ll be back on 2nd January with more insights, scoops, and innovations to keep you at the forefront of retail tech.

— The RTIH Team

Now on to this week's top stories:

Puma partners with Point of Sale and unified commerce specialist Sitoo and wraps UK stores roll-out

PUMA Group has chosen Sitoo to power its stores globally and enable the provision of a unified shopping experience to customers.

The sports brand says that the move will bring all its stores together with one seamless global solution, with the aim of simplifying processes, integrating physical and digital commerce, and enabling store associates to provide the best possible customer service.

“Before choosing Sitoo, we conducted a comprehensive review of all available solutions in the market,” says Baris B?lükbasi , Senior Director Global Retail at Puma Group. “After an extensive evaluation, we concluded that Sitoo was the best choice for us."

Fast. Fresh. Food. Lekkerland SE and Reckon.ai team on REWE To Go autonomous store in German train station

REWE To Go and Lekkerland SE have launched an autonomous store at Koblenz Central train station, Germany.

This is powered by AI smart cabinets in partnership with Reckon.ai

The 65 sqm store is open 24/7. People can scan their card to enter and then a cashless means of payment at the payment terminal on a smart fridge, and take their items.

In a LinkedIn post, Ana Pinto , CEO at Reckon.ai, said: With this launch, we and Lekkerland SE continue to lead the way in innovation, creating solutions that not only meet but anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s consumers with a reliable and seamless technology."

Mehmet T?zge , Director Smart Store Development at Lekkerland SE, commented: "Customer preferences have changed. End consumers want to shop 24/7, quickly and with as few contacts as possible. We develop smart stores to meet the evolving expectations of end consumers."

Fashion giant H&M Group acquires minority ownership stake in Swedish retail technology platform Voyado

Omnichannel customer engagement specialist Voyado reports that H&M Group has acquired a minority ownership stake in the company.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Erik Lagerblad , Head of H&M Group Ventures, says: "We are really impressed by Voyado's journey so far. After rolling out their solution globally, we’ve seen firsthand the difference it makes in creating value at scale.”

Erica Sandelin Ekelund , CEO at Voyado, says: "Our ambition is to establish Voyado as Northern Europe's most beloved retail tech companion while maintaining profitability and scalability."

Ecomtent, a gen AI startup founded by former Amazon executive?Max Sinclair, lands $1.4 million in funding

Ecomtent , a generative AI startup focused on helping sellers and retailers with AI powered search, has secured $1.4 million in funding.

Founded in 2022 by Max Sinclair , a former Amazon executive who led key initiatives such as the launch of Amazon in Singapore and Amazon Grocery across the EU, and Timur Luguev , a PhD and Postdoctoral Researcher in machine learning, Ecomtent's platform generates visual and written content optimised for AI powered search, such as Amazon’s RUFUS.

Vincenzo Toscano , CEO of the full service Amazon and Walmart agency Ecomcy , says: "I have been incredibly impressed with Ecomtent's technology, which has made our internal content team 10x more productive in terms of speed and scale."

Halfords makes decision to upgrade to newer versions of Aptos PoS, CRM and Sales Audit applications

Halfords has extended its use of Aptos Retail software to support its customer engagement and store operations strategies. The retailer is leveraging upgraded versions of the firm’s PoS, CRM and Sales Audit applications.

“We view the customer journey in a very holistic way,” says Adam G. , Chief Data & Information Officer at Halfords. “With the majority of people in the UK living in close proximity to a Halfords location, we leverage our store network to connect on a deeper level with customers through unrivalled expertise and services and an unbeatable range of products.”

“Halfords continues to lead in its markets through innovation and its commitment to understanding and optimising shoppers’ omnichannel journeys,” says Zaki Hassan , General Manager, EMEA and APAC, at Aptos.

Autonomo Technologies hires Rehman Mohammed as Global Vice President to support existing and new global agreements

Autonomo Technologies has announced the appointment of Rehman Mohammed as Global Vice President.

James Sutherland , CEO at Autonomo, says: “Rehman completes a powerful team of world class retail and AI technology experts. We are consistently growing 10% month on month, similar to other ground breaking companies in their early stages and Rehmans experience provides sales management to accelerate growth.”

VoCoVo's Head of UK and EU Sales Olivia Robinson: retail crime won’t be solved in 2025, but progress can be made

Olivia Robinson , Head of UK and EU Sales, VoCoVo , gives her predictions for the coming year, focused on the growth of retail crime and how retailers need to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of their employees.