Heading to RBTE for the sixth time this year, we found ourselves looking forward to attending more than ever, with a brand new stand and the prospect of speaking to retailers and exhibitors currently tackling the rapidly changing world of retail.
It’s safe to say the show didn’t disappoint and we thoroughly enjoyed talking to everyone, with hot topics from omni-channel retail and customer experience to personalisation, virtual reality and robots at the forefront.
After taking in the vast number of stands at the show, we thought we’d share a few of the retail technology highlights we saw.
Pepper by Alderbaran
This friendly looking figure is a human-shaped robot designed in Japan. Its stand out feature is an ability to detect the principal human emotions and adapt to the mood of his owner or user. Pepper is already being used in 140 stores in Japan ‘as a new way of welcoming, informing and amusing their customers’. We could definitely see this retail technology being used in bigger stores to help customers as they make their way around the shop floor.
Samsung
Samsung were showcasing a number of innovative display technologies on their stand, from augmented advertising to retail-ready mirrored displays. The stand certainly attracted attention with a futuristic character appearing on screen as you walked past.
APG Cash Drawer/Cash Bases
Showcasing a range of cash drawer and till point solutions, APG Cash Draw/Cash Bases’ Stratis Integration System stood out as a sophisticated way of integrating a tablet at the till point with minimum fuss. The system, which fits any tablet size, enables retailers to charge the tablet constantly with a discreet compartment underneath which also tidies away cables and importantly, the tablet can easily be slid over to the customer’s side to allow them to complete details when necessary, making it a seamless experience.
TFM Networks
TFM Networks is a network provider delivering a host of solutions for retailers. These include 4G networks that can be deployed for reliable connectivity at things like events and Pop-Up shops and a retail analytics platform called Purple, which enables retailers to track shoppers around the store and analyse it to make important decisions, plus much more.
Kantar Retail Virtual Reality
Just one of the things Kantar does is virtual reality solutions for retail, and it was this that caught people’s eyes at the show. Its VR Infinity product is a cloud based platform which allows retailers to easily create multiple configurations of their stores/shopper concepts and work in collaboration with shareholders to make decisions quickly and effectively using the software.
Realfiction
Realfiction provides 3D holographic displays to retailers, which can be used instore to grab people’s attention and increase sales, perfect for product launches. The holographic trainer they had on display at RBTE was a real draw to the stand.
We’d love to hear about the technologies or seminars that impressed you at the show and what you thought of this year’s RBTE as a whole. Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @cybertill or Linked In.
