E-commerce technology

UK among most expensive countries for mobile data

The UK ranks 136th in the world for the average cost of 1GB of mobile data, according to new statistics Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Futuristic logistics: retailers focused on rapid delivery

From Asos Instant to Ocado Zoom, and a host of new services in between, rapid delivery is gaining traction in UK retail in an attempt to meet customer demand Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

M&S and Ocado announce £750m food delivery joint venture

Deal will see M&S take a 50% share of Ocado’s UK retail business, with access to the Ocado Smart Platform Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Nordics: Sweden to test e-krona and plans cashless society

Sweden’s vision of a cashless society has gained traction after the Riksbank (central bank) rolled out plans to test a digital currency, the e-krona. Also read how the Nordic region’s longer-established companies are playing a forceful role to advance digital transformation, and how Finland’s IT sector has rebounded strongly after Microsoft’s takeover of Nokia’s mobile phones and smart devices business units in 2014. Continue Reading

Kellogg’s tests VR for developing merchandising strategy

Breakfast food brand Kellogg’s is working with Accenture and Qualcomm to test the use of virtual reality to develop a retail strategy for the launch of new products Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Six experiential retail businesses chosen for Jlab

The businesses and startups that will take part in John Lewis’ 2019 Jlab programme have seen selected following a pitch day Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

When is it best to stick with paper?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, sometimes going digital is not necessarily the best thing to do – we weigh the pros and cons of paper versus technology. Our new buyer’s guide examines the challenges of asset management as you move IT infrastructure to the cloud. And we look at the growing role of software developers in the future of networking. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Central Saint Martins hosts Three’s 5G trial for London Fashion Week

Three’s trial 5G network will enable the world’s first augmented reality fashion show at Central Saint Martins, while consumers can test out a prototype network at its flagship store Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Apple Business Chat powers Npower’s smart meter switch

Energy supplier is using Apple Business Chat to help users through the process of switching onto new smart gas and electricity meters Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Legacy systems holding banks back from meeting demand for instant accounts

Banks are struggling to meet customer demand to open accounts instantly because of legacy IT systems and processes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Click & collect will grow 45% over next five years

Clothing and footwear lead growth as UK’s click & collect market is set to hit £10bn by 2023, research suggests Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Vodafone announces winners of Techstarter accelerator

Vodafone has announced the winners of its startup accelerator programme, aimed at helping young companies developing technology for social good Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Lloyds Bank rolls out open banking functionality to mobile app customers

Lloyds Bank customers can now see current accounts from multiple banks through their mobile banking app Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tech sector tells government that digital identity policy is 'urgently required'

The UK tech sector has urged the government to publish policy to support the creation of a “fully functioning” digital identity market, to boost the digital economy Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Marks & Spencer launches charging banks as part of startup partnership

Retailer Marks & Spencer has announced it will be adding battery charging banks to its stores as part of startup partnership Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Fundamentals of retail won’t change despite tech disruption, say experts

Digital is becoming a big part of the way customers shop and how retailers deliver services, but the focus will always be on the customer, says panel of experts at BRC event Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

How to accelerate digital identity in the UK

Trusted online relationships are essential to the digital economy, but the UK is lagging behind. What needs to be done? Continue Reading

By

• David Black, ID Crowd

LA Metro pursues integrated CRM system with Salesforce

The Los Angeles Metro system integrates the Salesforce CRM with existing payment infrastructure, helping to bridge the gap between old and new technologies. Continue Reading

By

• George Lawton

Adobe Magento Commerce Cloud adds progressive web apps

Adobe is upgrading its e-commerce product by adding AI-fueled image-search capabilities and progressive web application building tools to Magento Commerce Cloud. Continue Reading

By

• Jesse Scardina, News Writer

Mastercard fined over half a billion euros for unfair payment fees

Mastercard has been heavily fined for having rules on interchange fees which distorted the EU single market Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Marks & Spencer introduces photo search for online shopping

British retail brand Marks and Spencer has introduced a photo searching capability to its mobile site to help people find products they like using other images Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Bahrain plans to create a world-leading tech ecosystem

Bahrain is building a technology ecosystem that will help the country further reduce its economic reliance on the oil and gas industry Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Mobile and broadband markets fail digitally excluded groups

Financially vulnerable people, disabled and mentally ill people and elderly people all face significant challenges in accessing appropriate communications services, according to a new Ofcom report Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

More than half of customers will shop for food online by 2021

Just over 40% of customers currently do their grocery shopping online, but with that number expected to rise to more than half by 2021, are retailers doing enough to meet customer expectations? Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Middle East: Bahrain aims to be fintech hub

Bahrain’s government wants to make the country the go-to place in the Middle East for financial technology companies. It hopes to capitalise on its banking know-how to establish an ambitious fintech “ecosystem”. Also read about Dubai’s plans for the Smart Data platform and the UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature, and how Shell is using AI to amplify the human impact of its workforce. Continue Reading

Banking apps overtake online banking

Mobile apps are the most popular channel for banking as consumers swap online platforms for smartphone software Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Interview: Andy Berks, digital product director, Asos

Asos’s digital product director Andy Berks talks about how the online retailer has used AI and machine learning technologies – and why the needs of the customer have to come first Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Norwegian cryptocurrency miners lament proposed loss of energy use-related tax relief

A wide-ranging push by the Norwegian government’s tax collection agency to clamp down on cryptocurrency miners has incurred the wrath of a company planning to build the world’s biggest datacentre Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Top 10 retail tech stories of 2018

Computer Weekly looks at what 2018 had in store for the retail industry – what technologies were retailers rushing to adopt and which brands fell behind? Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Ready, headset, go: Retailers racing ahead with VR for staff training

Has virtual reality found its prime retail user case as a staff training tool? Recent moves from Costa Coffee and Walmart suggest it has Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Cancer Research works to improve users’ digital experience

UK charity has been working with Optimizely to develop a better user experience through its website, as well as improve the way the organisation works Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

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