The latest retail tech connects digital and in-store shopping

Author

Stephen Babcock
September 20, 2022

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On this week’s Dealboard, new firms seeking to empower creators working at the intersection of content and commerce attracted investment. Among more established companies, Purple received an acquisition offer, Everlane raised new debt funding and Swiftly reached a billion-dollar valuation as it seeks to bring ecommerce technology to in-store shopping.

Instacart’s new move to connect online and in-store shopping was one of the most intriguing announcements to arrive as the Groceryshop conference got underway in Las Vegas. Connected Stores includes technology that syncs shopping lists and smart carts. Another feature lights up a shelf to help a shopper find an item. While it was packaged together for launch, the tech is available to retailers à la carte.

Inventory. Inflation. Fuel surcharges. Returns. Many brands are facing the same headwinds. Bainbridge Growth’s Ben Tregoe breaks down earnings at Warby Parker, Allbirds, Vera Bradley and Lulu’s for a look at how they are navigating this environment. “We believe that the next several quarters will see significant divergence in margin performance of digital native brands versus omnichannel strategies,” Tregoe writes.

“Connected inventory” is a term being thrown around more and more by Nike executives. Detailed at a recent investor day, the initiative aims to sync merchandise from stores, retail partners and warehouses to unify sales channels. The goal is to give the consumer “what they want, when they want it, how they want it.”

While there’s a tendency to focus on the end-of-year holidays once fall arrives, don’t forget about Halloween. Participation rates in the spooky season are forecast to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Retail Federation. This will drive record spending on candy, costumes and decorations, with about one-third of consumers indicating they will shop online.

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