Redefining what’s possible in video commerce: RTIH presents January's coolest retail technology plays

RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his stand out ‘future of retail’ systems deployments and launches from January, including the world's largest autonomous supermarket, AI powered product content on online sites, another Walmart drop on Zepeto, and immersive 3D tools that bring furniture designs to life.

Alo Yoga

Sawhouse Productions has announced a refreshed Alo Yoga Sanctuary experience on the Roblox platform.

In a LinkedIn post, it said: "This dynamic, immersive space brings mindfulness and movement to millions of users, offering a unique way to recharge and focus on wellness"

"But here’s the game-changer: We’ve bridged the digital and physical worlds like never before. Roblox users can now visit one of Alo’s 150+ global retail stores, scan an NFC enabled sticker, and unlock exclusive virtual rewards. This innovative activation - created with our friends at POAP Studios - sets a new standard for how brands engage communities across both virtual and real-life spaces."

Currys

Currys has launched a pilot of an initiative the retailer intends to bring to market across its stores, a QR code enabled “want to know more?” experience that customers can trigger on their smartphone as they’re browsing products.

In a LinkedIn post, Dan Rubel, Brand & Marketing Director at Currys, said: "I believe this will be a gamechanger for us. I can’t believe we didn’t do it like this earlier. Mimic the in-store shopper experience by clicking here for yourself.”

"For nearly every piece of tech we sell, our physical fixtures don’t have enough space to wax lyrical about everything that tech can do. We skim the surface and that will become even more of a reality as AI becomes ever more embedded in the tech we buy. Sometimes customers want to know more than the fixture can tell them, but they’re not quite ready to chat to an expert colleague."

He added: "So Ainsley Sykes (Head of Commercial Initiatives at Currys) and his crew have grabbed hold of that challenge and smashed it to pieces with a blend of old and new tech.”

On triggering the QR code, shoppers will experience a social inspired dramatisation of the product’s key benefits (short sharp vignettes, using motion graphics or video). The content aims to be easy to skip through (bearing in mind that people are interested in different things) and with links to deeper detail for those who need that. And in the future there will be an AI fuelled chat function enabling customers to ask specific questions.

Joybird

Joybird, a subsidiary of La-Z-Boy Incorporated and manufacturer and retailer of customisable upholstered furniture, has announced the roll-out of its upgraded 3D Space Planner design tool.

This has been built to bridge the digital and in-store shopping experience for shoppers and interior designers and is powered by 3D Cloud.

“The demand for a seamless mobile experience was clear, with at least 70% of our traffic coming from mobile devices,” says Gerardo Ornelas, VP and General Manager at Joybird.

“This enhancement means that customers and associates can stay connected in real-time, with immersive 3D tools that truly bring designs to life, whether they’re collaborating in a showroom or at home.”

Ikea

Reckon.ai reports that its first autonomous microstore in partnership with Ikea is about to open in London.

In a LinkedIn post, Ana Pinto, CEO at Reckon.ai, said: "By streamlining customer access to Ikea products, optimise inventory management, and boost efficiency - food service revolution is there and our technology is ready to support. Stay tuned for this super launch and new stores, close to you, are coming too."

Hugo Boss

Hugo Boss has launched AI powered product content live across its e-commerce platforms globally.

“This isn’t just about leveraging cutting-edge technology, it’s about delivering meaningful innovation that drives tangible results for our customers and our business,” says Jan Philipp Wintjes, Executive Vice President Global Omnichannel.

He adds: “By harnessing the power of AI, the Hugo Boss Web3 & Immersive Experiences team is pioneering the use of advanced AI tools in image and video creation. This launch represents a future where technology seamlessly meets creativity and precision. This is AI in action, not as a concept, but as a catalyst for growth, efficiency, and improved customer experiences.”

Walmart

Walmart has launched Zepeto's first ever e-commerce experience for real world items.

In a LInkedIn post, Justin Breton, Head of Brand Marketing Innovation at Walmart, said: "You read it here first… 2025 is the year of immersive commerce! Users are now able to buy real-world No Boundaries items directly on Zepeto by logging in to their Walmart account for a secure buying experience. The purchase of each real-world item also comes with a free virtual twin."

"This is our third drop since launching on Zepeto in October. In a short period of time, we’ve learned what resonates with the community, what tactics drive increased engagement, and so much more. Here are some results to date: 3.6M+ try-ons of our 20 previous virtual items; 1.87M+ pieces of user generated content shared; 180K+ item likes and 67K+ item saves for future purchase. All data provided by GEEIQ.”

He added: "Our strategy to continue investing in emerging platforms and immersive commerce isn’t because they're shiny new objects to test with. It’s driven by data and insights about the next generation of consumers, such as: 56% of Gen Z say visiting a brand’s virtual experience improves perception; 53% of Gen Z gamers spend more than $20 every month on virtual items; 42% of Gen Z use their virtual avatar to test fashion items they might buy IRL.”

The launch is complemented by ten new items, available for real-world or virtual purchase, from the spring No Boundaries collection and a self-love themed photobooth backdrop for additional content creation."

Zara

Bambuser has announced ts first launch in China with a dedicated platform for Zara that integrates livestream shopping and video commerce across its e-commerce channels.

The partnership is timed with the launch of Zara’s ‘Chinese New Year’ collection, which was launched on 9th January, and is available for purchase through shoppable livestreams.

In China, 54.7% of consumers shop through livestreams, according to the 53rd Statistical Report on China’s Internet Development. Bambuser’s platform enables brands to integrate shoppable videos and livestreams across their online channels.

“China is the dominant market for live shopping, which is traditionally run on marketplaces and third party platforms. However, brands are increasingly shifting toward direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies to offer the same engaging live video shopping experiences on their own platform," says Maryam Ghahremani, CEO at Bambuser. 

“Zara is one such brand embracing this shift, and our expansion into this market is empowering Zara and other brands on their D2C journey, enabling them to deliver seamless, high quality livestreams directly to their audiences in every channel.”

In 2024, Zara teamed up with Bambuser to launch ‘ZaraStreaming’, a debut livestream shopping event that allowed western-based consumers to buy directly from a live video experience. The pair lay claim to thousands of customers being drawn in by the appearance of supermodel Cindy Crawford and her daughter, Kaia Gerber.

Sensei and MC Sonae

Sensei has partnered with MC Sonae on the opening of a new Continente Bom Dia location, in Leiria, Portugal, pitched as the world’s largest autonomous supermarket.

In a LinkedIn post, Sensei said: "This revolutionary achievement is a record breaker on so many levels, setting a new benchmark for the future of retail: 1.676 cameras; 1,200 sq m2; 2,000 scales; 21 servers; 10.000 SKU’s."

"With democratic entry (no app or card tapping needed), assisted sales (fresh fish counter), simplified real-time basket checkout, discrepancy detection (a first!), and many more, bringing the shopping journey to a whole new level."

It concluded: "We changed everything, challenging the retail status quo, without changing anything – except for the groundbreaking checkout process, it’s just a really simple, smooth and seamless shopping experience."

Doji

A new startup Doji is enabling online fashion fans to create their AI likeness, try on real products and shop their favourite looks.

In a LinkedIn post, CEO and Co-founder Dorian Dargan (formerly of Meta, Apple and YouNow), said: "Until now, it’s never been possible to try-on clothes when shopping online - making it hard to know what looks good on you. My co-founder Jim Winkens and I needed a creative tool to explore new looks and products - so we decided to build it for ourselves."

He added: "As fashion lovers with deep AI and consumer expertise, we’re uniquely equipped to build this. Jim is an ex-Google DeepMind researcher and AI engineer, and I designed frontier consumer products at Apple, Meta and YouNow. Doji feels like the perfect culmination of our interests and skills."

The venture is in private beta and accepting testers for its iOS app, with select spots available. You can join the waitlist here.

TalkShopLive

TalkShopLive has introduced TSL Shoppettes, a short-form shoppable video focused solution. This builds on its patented technology that offers retailers, brands, and creators the opportunity to host video shopping events across multiple destinations, including websites and social media feeds.

TSL Shoppettes enable users to schedule up to 90-second vertical videos featuring one to five products per reel. These videos allow consumers to purchase products with a “SHOP” comment on Meta platforms, triggering direct links to buy via Instagram DMs or Facebook Messenger.

“Our mission at TalkShopLive has always been to redefine what’s possible in video commerce, and TSL Shoppettes represent a major leap forward,” says Bryan Moore, CEO and Co-Founder at TalkShopLive. 

“With shoppable distribution beyond our Meta capabilities launching shortly, we’re extending the impact of short-form video commerce. This evolution allows brands and creators to engage audiences across diverse digital landscapes while leveraging data driven insights to create content that converts sales.”

Simbe

Simbe has announced what is pitched as the next step in its journey to power the single source of truth for store intelligence with the launch of Tally Spot.

It claims that this addition to its multimodal Store Intelligence platform, which is in beta in US stores, makes it the first and only retail technology company to combine computer vision, RFID, and now fixed sensors.

In a LinkedIn post, Brad Bogolea, Co-founder and CEO at Simbe, said: "Since launching the world’s first autonomous item scanning robot, Tally, we’ve continuously evolved to meet our retail partners’ needs. Tally Spot now complements Tally’s storewide coverage with higher frequency monitoring in select high turnover, high theft, and high value areas. It is in beta in stores nationwide."

He added: "This milestone underscores our retail partners’ drive for innovation and their trust in Simbe to design the capabilities for stores of 2035. Together, we’re improving shoppers’ and store teams’ experiences while helping retailers evolve their operating model in this modern age. To our incredible product, web, design, engineering, and commercial teams, thank you for your relentless focus and hard work in advancing our mission.

Makeup by Mario

Makeup by Mario, a brand created by celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, has launched a virtual try-on experience in collaboration with FFFACE.ME.

This allows users to experiment with shades of eyeshadows, lip glosses, blushes, and other makeup products directly through their web browsers on any device.

The launch was made possible by leveraging Snapchat’s free SDK for the web.

A spokesperson for Makeup by Mario comments: "We’re pleased to provide our customers with an improved, personalised experience that offers accuracy comparable to selecting a shade in-store with the convenience of shopping online. The innovative FFFACE.ME shade finder technology realistically represents our shade range and pays off in virtual try-on, making it easier than ever to find your perfect match."

PepsiCo and Wing

PepsiCo and Wing (Alphabet’s drone delivery company) are taking to the skies for Super Bowl weekend to deliver a free snack pack via drone to fans. 

On 8th-9th February, the PepsiCo Party Pack will include Doritos, Tostitos dips, and two 12 oz cans of Pepsi Zero Sugar to fans in Frisco, TX. Customers can order through the Wing app while supplies last. 

The company delivers items in less than 30 minutes with automated, all electric drones that fly 65mph.