HTEC Retail Roundups examine retail technology trends, digital retail innovations, and disruptive products.
Boohoo in talks to buy Burton, Wallis, and Dorothy Perkins
Popular fashion brand Boohoo is looking to acquire three major fascias: Burton, Wallis, and Dorothy Perkins from Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group. Boohoo has previously bought other well-known brands, turning them into online-only operations, including Oasis, Warehouse, Coast and Karen Millen. (Retail Gazette)
Walmart to add automated micro-fulfillment to stores
Walmart announced it will be adding an automated micro-fulfillment center to dozens of store locations. A micro-fulfillment is a small-scale storage facility used to store inventory closer to customers to reduce costs and transit times. Walmart will be testing a variety of configurations across multiple tech providers, including Dematic, Fabric, and Alert Innovation. Further development will include automated drive-thru pickup points where customers can collect their orders. (RetailDive)
Tesla pumps the brakes on Roadster production
Tesla has flashed a red light at the production of the Tesla Roadster, metaphorically speaking. Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the Tesla Roadster will be delayed until 2022 as the company works on an advanced battery and drive system. (Verge)
H&M reports 18% drop in sales amid pandemic struggles
Many retail industry giants are reporting profit decreases amid the global pandemic. The largest Swedish retailer, H&M Group, is no exception in this case, as its profits continue to drop due to 80% of its stores closing worldwide. H&M Group reported an 18% drop in sales. As a result, the brand has placed a greater emphasis on digital campaigns on social media platforms. (Retail Gazette)
You can bet on it: Gambling apps coming to Google Play Store
Google recently announced that it will allow gambling apps on the Google Play Store as it updates its policies about using real money on Android apps. The change will be applied in the US and 15 other countries. Currently, only four countries allow gambling apps: Ireland, the UK, France, and Brazil. (Verge)
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