E-commerce technology

Manchester’s evolution from rag trade to e-commerce riches

As Amazon and Moonpig plan to open Manchester hubs, the focus once again turns to the city’s in-demand digital and e-commerce scene. Continue Reading

Quarter of all UK shopping now happens on mobile devices

UK’s high-street spend is the lowest across Europe as mobile devices account for a growing portion of online shopping Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Fashion retail’s sustainability challenge and how technology can help

UK fashion retailers were grilled in Parliament last month on sustainability, so how might technology like blockchain or online recommendation tools help as they look to improve their green credentials? Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Nike and Zara drive fashion retail’s self-service future

New store openings from Nike and Zara show it is not just in grocery stores where self-service technology is impacting retail. Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

ASOS launches digital assistant to help customers find right size

Online fashion retailer ASOS has launched an artificially intelligent assistant to help consumers find the right size of clothing before they place an order Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

IKEA to focus on digitisation and convenience shopping

Swedish furniture brand IKEA will be cutting jobs and focusing on smaller stores and its digital pipeline in a bid to usher in a new era of business transformation Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Russian banks to introduce contactless ATMs

Russian banks have introduced their first contactless ATMs, which customers can link to via smartphones and wearable devices Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

PwC provides retail data insights for London’s West End

New West End Company hopes data on consumer behaviour will help retailers to increase spending in the area by one-third to £12bn over the next few years Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Government considering dedicated internet regulator, says digital minister

An upcoming white paper is likely to set out proposals for an internet regulator, a House of Lords committee has been told Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMRC resolves technical issue with tax-free childcare portal

The department’s tax-free childcare website has again suffered technical issues, affecting 22,000 payments, but the problems were resolved last week, according to HMRC Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cloud e-commerce IT battle pits content management vs. CRM

ERP-based and stand-alone e-commerce systems dominate the market. As more companies go to the cloud, CRM and CMS vie to be the next foundation of e-commerce. Continue Reading

By

• Don Fluckinger, Senior News Writer

Dynamic pricing online should not be regulated as anti-competitive

Competition authorities are examining online retailers' use of dynamic pricing to see if it's fair to consumers – but the principle of regulating such activity is economically wrong Continue Reading

By

• Tim Worstall, Adam Smith Institute

M&S admits online remit “well behind” competitors

Food and clothing retailer Marks and Spencer has admitted its website and online fulfillment capabilities are behind that of its competitors, but it is seeing progress since implementing changes Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Lloyds Banking Group shaking up its workforce to reflect digital times

Lloyds Banking Group is revamping the roles of thousands of staff as it becomes digital Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Smart Dubai platform is the backbone of the city's transformation

Aisha bin Bishr, director general at Smart Dubai Office, talks about the Smart Data platform and soon-to-be-unveiled UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature which is being touted as one of the foundations a city needs to transform Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

UK winners and losers in digital tech

The UK's retail and telecoms companies are among the best in the world at digital technology, but a survey of digital leaders shows there is still room for improvement for many UK firms Continue Reading

By

• Tony Farnfield

How Birchbox uses social media for personalisation and discovery

The UK marketing director of subscription service Birchbox told the Retail Week Tech conference about the retailer’s use of social media and data to offer customers a personalised service Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Jlab 2019 to focus on experiential shopping

Each year, John Lewis hosts a number of retail startups intent on using technology to transform the industry. Next year they will be aiming to change the customer experience in-store Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Triumph Motorcycles kick-starts changes with high-tech HR

The Leicestershire-based motorcycle company is deploying IT systems to give customers and its own staff a ‘premium brand experience’ Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Manchester’s evolution from rag trade to e-commerce riches

As Amazon and Moonpig plan to open Manchester hubs, the focus once again turns to the city’s in-demand digital and e-commerce scene Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Retail tech spending will grow 3.6% globally in 2019, predicts Gartner

Global spending on technology in the retail sector is set to grow by 3.6% in 2019, according to predictions by Gartner analysts Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

SMEs use fintech in fight against online giants, but fears remain

Online SMEs are turning to financial technology to help them make payment processes easy for customers as they try to compete with online giants Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIO interview: Tamara Lohan, founder and CTO of Mr & Mrs Smith

Head of technology and co-founder of luxury travel firm Mr & Mrs Smith explains how the firm is revamping its technology to provide customers with a seamless experience Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Addicted to clicks? Would you try online retail rehab?

In early October 2018, fintech firm iZettle ran a rehab centre for online shopping addicts to show the impact e-commerce has on the highstreet. But will this change customer habits? Spoiler alert, ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Russians using less cash after accelerated use of electronic payments

Russians are increasingly using electronic payments rather than cash, a recent study by Sberbank has found Continue Reading

By

• Vladimir Kozlov

Amazon to open Manchester R&D centre and create 1,000 skilled jobs

Online retail giant will open a new office in Manchester and expand others to house 1,000 new skilled research and development employees in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Moonpig to open technology hub and create 50 new roles

Greeting card company chooses Manchester for its first tech hub because of the city’s thriving tech scene and “exceptional” pool of talent Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

ASOS launches voice shopping on Google Assistant

Online fashion brand introduces voice shopping service to help customers navigate its thousands of products more easily Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Middle East: Middle East warms to humanoid robots

Countries in the Middle East are warming to humanoid robotics, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence as these technologies become widely accepted globally. Also in this issue, read why Saudi Arabia has called on London’s fintechs to set up in the country with the promise of government support, and find out how the Gulf Warehousing Company has introduced cloud-based technology to replace paper processes used by its HR department. Continue Reading

Why are so few electric vehicles used for online shopping deliveries?

UK retailers appear to be in the electric vehicle slow lane when it comes to online shopping deliveries, but changes are imminent Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

While Brexit rages on, the UK needs to be looking at the global picture

Talks at the World Trade Organisation in October will shape the future of digital trade, and it is crucial the voice of UK tech is heard Continue Reading

By

• Julian David, TechUK

UK will unilaterally tax web giants, says Hammond

Chancellor threatens to go it alone on tax reform for digital services businesses if an international agreement cannot be reached Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mobile will be more disruptive for retail than online, says Facebook representative

Facebook’s retail industry head says mobile technology is likely to cause a bigger shift in retail than online shopping did Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Finland’s e-retail sector driven by international growth

Finland has a fast-growing e-retail industry as a positive consequence of the huge job cuts at Nokia Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Explosion in fake data-stealing shopping sites

Cyber attackers are ramping up efforts to steal personal data by setting up look-alike domains that pose a phishing risk to online shoppers, researchers warn Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Best supply chain firms are masters of data and automation

Europe’s best supply chains are making the most out of e-commerce, customer insights and robotic process automation, according to Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Mobile-first strategy rings true for jeweller

Mobile has played a key role in how London jeweller Taylor & Hart has changed the rules for buying a ring Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

Credit card giants step up AI fraud detection

While Capital One and Mastercard delve into AI and machine learning to detect credit card fraud, IBM joins the ranks of AI vendors with AI bias detection tools. Continue Reading

By

• Mark Labbe

Doorstep challenge: How retailers are innovating on delivery and fulfilment

Every retailer selling online in 2018 needs great shipping options for customers who have got used to an expanding list of choices. How are some retailers developing the proposition, and where does technology fit into the equation? Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

How is Google taking on Microsoft Office in retail?

Carrefour represents a big-name contract win for Google’s G Suite, but will Microsoft Office still be dominant across retail? Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Asda outsources app development to support digital future

Supermarket chain Asda is outsourcing its application development to HCL to access and build skills and experience in agile development methods Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Waitrose to launch same-day delivery trial

High-end supermarket Waitrose is partnering with retail delivery startup On the Dot to trial same-day delivery for its food and wine goods Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Santander plans UK tech hub in Milton Keynes

Santander is opening a UK tech hub in Milton Keynes that will have 5,000 staff Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

BMW innovation lab bears fruit with insurtech deal

BMW has struck a deal with one of the tech startups that participated in its innovation incubator Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Middle East hungry for digitisation, says GE’s Bill Ruh

The Middle East is among the most enthusiastic regions in terms of applying digital business models to traditional industries Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Capitalism too short-termist? The tech sector suggests otherwise

Many observers criticise businesses and stock markets for being too short-termist – but if that was the case, how did Amazon, Uber and their ilk ever come into existence? Continue Reading

By

• Tim Worstall, Adam Smith Institute

John Lewis blames profit drops on high IT costs

Department store John Lewis has pinned the blame on high IT costs and the rising price of store real-estate for a drop in profit Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The use cases, challenges and benefits behind retail AI

Retailers have been collecting customer data for years, and with AI technology now available to help them use it effectively, they’re jumping at the chance – but what challenges lie ahead? Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Why AI should assist humans, not replace them

At the 2018 Disruption Summit in London, BT’s lead of customer insight and futures said artificially intelligent systems should be there to assist humans, not get rid of them Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Argos launches voice shopping capability on Google Home Assistant

Retailer Argos has developed a voice shopping service so customers can reserve items for pickup using the Google Home Assistant app Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

How Rituals is using Salesforce Commerce cloud to replicate physical experience online

Cosmetics firm Rituals is using Salesforce Commerce Cloud to translate its website into 25 languages, helping the brand reach customers its physical stores can’t Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The fintech startups to watch in the UK

Tech Nation’s choice of fintech companies to back reflects the changes expected to hit financial services IT Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How Ocado has disrupted its own model

At the Disruption Summit in London, Ocado’s head of technology explained how the firm built a technology-based model for efficient grocery delivery and how it has been disrupting that ever since Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CIO interview: Ian Cohen, global CIO, Addison Lee

Addison Lee’s global CIO is building a business strategy and ensuring the transport company has a flexible platform for growth Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Heineken and Oracle create chatbot helper for polo events

Beer brand Heineken has enlisted the help of Oracle to create a chatbot to assist people attending the annual Heineken Urban Polo events ahead of expansion in 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Debenhams rolls out Doddle click-and-collect service in all its stores

Debenhams and parcel collection and return firm Doddle are working together to roll out Doddle’s click-and-collect services to all of the retailer’s stores Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

No Deal Brexit papers warn of stark future for UK tech

The government has published the first of its No Deal Brexit contingency planning notices, containing sobering messages for the UK technology industry Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Australian e-commerce company shrugs off US behemoths with cloud move

Australia's eCorner has signed a deal with Macquarie Cloud Services to help it use public cloud services to fend off growing competition from larger US providers. The Sydney-based e-commerce ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Taste the deference

Sainsbury’s is trialling its first ever till-free supermarket, entrusting us with the task of scanning our own items via our smartphones. This comes as good news for those of us who feel the ... Continue Reading

By

• Ryan Priest

Apple faces strong competition from Amazon

As Apple is set to become the first trillion dollar company, a strong rival is only just behind – and it's not Google or Samsung. Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Consumers accept fraud danger as online shopping increases, research finds

The majority of UK consumers see the threat of online fraud as “inevitable” as e-commerce popularity rises Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

Phishing remains top fraud enabler, RSA reports

Phishing is the most popular way of enabling fraud for cyber criminals, who are also increasingly using rogue mobile apps, mobile browsers and social media, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Banks lead in digital era fraud detection

All e-commerce businesses should follow the banks’ lead in how to detect fraud in the digital era, says RSA fraud and risk expert Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nordic fintech becomes a significant global player

The Nordic region accounted for three of the 10 biggest financial technology deals in the first half of 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

M&S partners with Doddle for easier click-and-collect returns

Retailer is using Powered by Doddle on its in-store devices to allow returns of online items, as well as the use of click-and-collect services Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Sweaty Betty revamps website to cater for digital customers

Activewear brand has partnered with e-commerce firm Tryzens to launch a responsive site that is better suited to its increasingly digital customers Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Three-quarters of UK adults have not heard of open banking

Open banking will struggle to deliver what it promises unless people are made aware of its existence and what it could do for them Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Why Pinterest pinpointed features for the visually impaired

Ideas curation site has developed features for people with visual impairment. Its lead designer explains what has been changed and why it matters Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

3 Hong Kong gears up for 5G with “epic” transformation

The Hong Kong telco is putting in an advanced technical architecture that will streamline and automate internal processes and IT as it prepares for the 5G era Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

M&S aims to give 1,000 employees data skills

Luxury supermarket Marks and Spencer has partnered with Decoded to create a programme aimed at teaching its employees data skills Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Smart cities face challenges and opportunities

IHS Markit analysts Noman Akhtar and Kevin Hasley assess the way forward for smart city technology projects around the world Continue Reading

By

• Norman Akhtar and Kevin Hasley

MPs call for inquiry into smart meter roll-out

Government urged to conduct a review of the roll-out of smart meters for electricity and gas, and to intervene to tackle a number of failures Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Just Eat on the lookout for 150 tech professionals

Online food marketplace Just Eat has announced it is on the lookout for talent to fill 150 technology roles, 80 of which have been recently created Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Walmart and Microsoft partner to boost digital in retail

US retail giant Walmart has signed a five-year partnership with Microsoft, with the aim of speeding up its digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Google record fine could lead to Android fork

Amazon’s Android was one of the operating systems mentioned by the European Commission as it imposed a record €4.34bn fine on Google Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Saudi’s growing e-commerce market offers global tech opportunities

Saudi Arabia's e-commerce sector is set to explode, and the IT sector in the country will see increased demand as a result Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Half of young girls don’t think tech careers are exciting

Young women are put off of technology careers because they don’t perceive them to be exciting, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Holiday Extras uses machine learning and artificial intelligence for personalisation

Travel firm Holiday Extras has introduced machine learning and artificial intelligence into its smartphone app to give users a more personalised experience Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

TechUK calls on UK to adopt recent EU trade deals to boost digital sector

The EU deal with Canada, as well as forthcoming trade agreements with Japan, Singapore and Vietnam, could boost the UK tech sector – if adopted after Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

How changes in retail law could affect customer experience

New payments regulations could increase the amount of times customers will need to use two-factor authentication to make a purchase, potentially putting a strain on customer experience, according to MasterCard Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Inside Alibaba Cloud’s Southeast Asia playbook

Alibaba Cloud is working closely with local customers in joint innovation projects, and has started to launch new services for Chinese and international customers simultaneously to narrow the service gap Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK financial services firms up tech investments to fuel new services

Driven by the need to offer new services, as well as meet industry regulations, UK financial services firms are increasing spending on IT Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Acquia methodically bridges enriched content and e-commerce

The company launched Commerce Manager to integrate enriched content with e-commerce systems and earlier established a technology partnership with Magento. Continue Reading

By

• Geoffrey Bock, Bock & Company

PizzaExpress launches augmented reality football game

Italian restaurant chain PizzaExpress has launched an augmented reality football game for customers to play during meals Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Government must challenge popular smart city misconceptions

A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smart Cities says many people feel alienated by the concept, and calls on the government to challenge some popular misconceptions Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Young generation tempted by Amazon bank-like services

Tech firms offering banking services will be inevitable in the future as more than half of young people are tempted by such a prospect Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIO interview: Michael Cole, European Tour and Ryder Cup

Michael Cole, chief technology officer at the European Tour and Ryder Cup, discusses how he is helping the sport of golf broaden its appeal through his “connected course” digital transformation vision Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mayor Khan bids to make London the world’s smartest city

At London Tech Week, mayor Sadiq Khan launched a city-wide initiative to harness the capital’s technology talent to address London’s most pressing problems Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Thriving fintech, AI sectors give boost to UK tech funding

British technology businesses have received £5bn worth of venture capital funding since June 2016 – more than France, Germany and Sweden put together – with fintech and AI startups standing out Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Visa card payments system goes down across the UK and Ireland

Millions of businesses across the UK and Ireland are unable to accept VIsa card payments because of a "service disruption" Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Revamped BHS website to close two years after department store collapse

The BHS website, which was developed after the department store’s closure in 2016, will be closed at the end of June Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Computing curriculum shake-up can’t happen in a single five-year parliamentary term, says panel

At the launch of Ocado Technology’s AI:MMO educational game, a panel of experts said the computing curriculum needs an overhaul, but this cannot be achieved in a single government term of office Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Nordics: Finland delays e-voting plan

Security concerns have re-emerged to further frustrate the Finnish government’s plans to launch a national e-voting system. Also read about a study by the Stockholm School of Economics that looks at the likely impact of AI, machine learning and robotics on people’s lives. And find out why Norway has accelerated plans to scale up its national cyber security infrastructure. Continue Reading

Marks and Spencer speeds up digital transformation plans as profits plunge

Retailer announces plans to accelerate its business transformation and close 100 stores by 2022 after continued shifts in consumer behaviour Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Amazon, Toys R Us and a tale of two technology approaches

Many factors contributed to the collapse of Toys R Us, but did a partnership with Amazon at the turn of the millennium play a part in its eventual demise? Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Tesco announces closure of non-food website Tesco Direct

Supermarket giant Tesco has announced it will be closing its Tesco Direct website, which focuses on the sale of non-food-related products Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Social one of the 'most powerful' tools at brand’s disposal, says retail experts

Using social media to connect with customers is one of the most “powerful” tools retailers have at their disposal, said a panel of experts at the Salesforce World Tour Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

A third of people would buy insurance from Google or Amazon

Consumers are increasingly likely to buy insurance from tech giants as the insurtech industry hits the mainstream Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

E-commerce in APAC is thriving, but so is online fraud

E-commerce in Asia-Pacific is booming, with 71% of consumers in the region already shopping online. But so is the risk of fraud, with one in five consumers falling victim, according to new report ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK tech sector growing 2.6 times faster than overall economy

The latest Tech Nation report on the UK’s IT sector reveals strong growth and positivity, but fears around Brexit in London’s tech engine Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA