What: PayPal-owned returns software and reverse logistics business Happy Returns localises drop-off and aggregates shipping to optimise customer experience and sustainable returns for customers like Everlane and Gymshark.

Why it is important: The business of returns is a USD 206 billion industry. In 2021, 20% of online-bought products were returned, contributing significantly to fashion's carbon footprint.

Consumers increasingly expect a convenient returns process, with the flexibility to return e-commerce orders in-person as well as via mail.

Happy Returns helps brands optimise their returns process to save money, retain revenue by promoting intelligent exchanges, boost sustainability, and make returns more delightful for shoppers.

Happy Returns offers an in-person, aggregated returns service through a network of more than 5,000 brick-and-mortar locations, such as FedEx, Staples, Ulta Beauty and Cost Plus World Market.

Consumers' refunds are immediately generated during the Return Bar drop-off, helping to maintain customer satisfaction and an NPS of 93, while merchants benefit from significantly reduced shipping costs and packaging waste and the Return Bar locations, such as Ulta Beauty, benefit from increased foot traffic. Happy Returns software is available to all merchants and software fees are waived for any merchants that offer PayPal as one of their payment methods to their shoppers.

The logistics, cost and volume of returns are a growing problem. As more shopping takes place online, return rates for e-commerce tend to be 3 to 4 times higher than brick-and-mortar.

Reverse logistics remove that friction of the mail for consumers: the wait, the hassle, the printing of labels. After starting the process online, a Happy Returns transaction takes about 30 seconds at one of our 5,000 Return Bars across the US, and the consumer will receive their refund instantly.

In terms of sustainability, Happy Returns, collects items dropped off at the physical locations box-free by shoppers, and then they are aggregated and shipped together in large, reusable and recycled totes rather than a cardboard box. Using the totes up to 100 times.

They then ship items from drop-off locations to the regional Return Hubs where they sort and label the returns and bulk-ship them back to the manufacturer. It's a two-step process that uses reusable packaging to eliminate cardboard and labels from the equation, and eliminates trips by densely packaging items into one-third of the box space.

A sustainability-focused logistics solution for fashion's returns

What: Geneva, the social messaging platform that combines text, audio and visual tools, has Gen-Z consumers looking for a community to call home. Brands are helping build those hubs, but how they measure the success of the platform is ambiguous.

Why is it important: Social app Geneva launched to the public in 2021 and has seen triple-digit user growth since the beginning of this year, particularly among Gen-Z. Beauty and fashion brands are testing the platform to build hyper-engaged online communities and one-to-one relationships with customers.

The platform does not offer any paid ad tools, though it plans to build monetisation features, like paid access to events, for brands and creators.

Geneva is still small, and without paid advertisement tools, it's difficult for brands to see a black-and-white return on their investment on the platform. That may make it a more difficult sell at a time when tough market conditions mean brands are clamping down on unnecessary spending and limiting experimental efforts.

Rare Beauty's small social media team, already responsible for keeping tabs on its Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and more, currently monitors its Geneva home. Geneva, however, isn't evaluated using the same KPIs (such as likes or engagement rate) as other platforms.

How brands are using the Geneva app

What: GDR UK, an IADS partner, is specialized in spotting innovation across the planet. Here, they make a selection of sustainable delivery options.

Why it is important:  The last mile is usually the worst when it comes to margin and environmental impact. Most of the startup companies showcased try to kill two birds with one stone, by working on the packaging costs and reducing the number of deliveries per customer and per day.

GDR UK, a partner of the IADS, has spotted a selection of startups specialized in proposing sustainable delivery options:

• OHI, which uses micro-fulfillment centres to offer quick and carbon-neutral delivery solutions via bike, e-bike or on-foot, in reusable packaging,
• Olive, a delivery platform that groups deliveries from several brands into one shipment with the products unboxed (the boxes being recycled), and delivered all together into a package-free tote bag on a given day,
• Siklus, an Indonesian startup which delivers household refills via electric motorbikes,, reducing by 30% the retail price of the products purchased,
• Alagramo, a mobile vending machine placed on an electric vehicle able to travel to customers' homes whenever they need to refill their household products. Here also, products are delivered in bulk in order to save on packaging and costs,
• Charrli, a subscription service delivering personal care and home care products in refillable containers. Bottles can be reused up to 50 times.

A selection of sustainable delivery startups 

What: Walmart is exploring the new possibilities offered by the metaverse both with its own means but also through external ventures.

Why it is important: Innovation is tested at various levels in a way which allows to test and learn without disrupting or endangering the daily business.

Flipkart India, an e-commerce marketplace venture backed by Walmart, is launching an in-house innovation lab to explore what can be done in the metaverse. They are starting by collaborating with the web3 community in order to understand how e-commerce is going to be impacted by the new tech possibilities.

Flipkart has been founded in 2007 and caters to more than 400m users. A controlling stake has been purchased in 2018 for  USD $16bn by Walmart.

Walmart's Flipkart explores the metaverse and Web3 possibilities 

What: 3DLook uses AI to scan users' bodies and create personalised digital avatars to try-on clothes, and they are launching "YourFit 2.0," a Shopify and Shopify Plus plug-in that automates the process of creating virtual fitting rooms.

Why is it important: With the new tool, brands will be able to choose the products they want to feature, input fit data, and can launch a fitting room in under a week. It used to take up to six months. It will also introduce a product recommendation feature that picks items for shoppers based on body shape, fit preference, and inventory levels, along with an app for store associates later this year.

Virtual fitting rooms have long been advertised as a solution for e-commerce's low conversion rates and high returns but have largely failed to gain meaningful traction. 3DLook's new product is designed to reduce the amount of time it takes for a brand to get a virtual fitting room up and running, making it easier for a wider range of brands to implement the technology.

3DLook sees opportunities to make the consumer experience better ahead. Brands will know what their consumers look like and be able to create products targeted to them more precisely. Down the line size won't just be about fitting into a number or letter but be personalised to each person.

3DLook launches new tool

What: The digital loyalty technology company from Seattle has raised a USD 100 million Series B funding in order to build out their workforce and expand to new international markets over the coming months.

Why it is important: The start-up is working to help retailers drive foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores by leveraging online relationships with shoppers.

Swiftly understands the needs of both consumers and retailers as they have centered their technology around the in-store purchase. Swiftly has found a common theme in the behaviour of consumers which is: shoppers tend to make substantially more trips to the grocery store if they receive online offers customized to their needs and timed to reach them when they are most likely to be ready to make a purchase.

Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel of grocery retail or switch to a complete online platform Swiftly understands that most grocery store purchases will still occur in-store. In order to increase the individuals coming in-store Swiftly is offering different services to suit different retailers' needs, some need assistance in the customized online offers while others need assistance in growing their online traction. They want to help retailers to closely tie their e-commerce and in-store experiences as they boost shopper loyalty and keep customers from venturing to competitors. In particular, the company recommends that grocers allow shoppers to use loyalty points they earn in-store for digital transactions, which can encourage them to direct their online purchases to the retailers whose stores they frequent.

Swiftly's Series B funding, which was led by Wormhole Capital, builds on USD 15.6 million seed funding the company raised in late 2019 and brings the total amount it has brought in from investors to USD 120 million. With this funding, they are looking to expand their employee base as well as considering expansion and want to open offices in potentially, Europe, Central America and South America.

Swiftly: helping brick-and-mortar stores cater to online customers 

What: Komet, an 18 square meter showroom space in Rennes, France, with no checkout or salesperson, offers the opportunity to try on clothes autonomously and to make an independent purchase.

Why is it important: Komet is a solo shopping pop-up that was inspired as a response to the change in consumer behavior induced by the pandemic, which has dissuaded many from going into crowded traditional stores.

Furnished with armchairs and rugs (which are also for sale), customers can leave directly with a product that they like, and even wear it immediately, or order to receive it at home. The space has a reserve that can accommodate 400 to 500 items. The first brand to test the Komet was Noliju a sportswear brand, then Champ Blanc; Pile ou Face and Cul & Chemises followed it for a month each.

To be able to benefit from a 15 to 45-minute session in the pop-up, interested consumers must reserve a slot via a dedicated application, which includes the payment stage. Once inside they can try on clothes listed on a "connected" clothes rack that signals if the article is placed back in its place or if it has been placed in the customer's virtual basket. During this test phase, the founders replenish the pop-up according to purchases made, which are notified through the store application.

A second version of the pop-up is in preparation. The structure will be a 20-foot shipping container, equipped with solar panels to ensure its independent energy. The founders are in contact with other shopping centers to install their pop-up solution and hopefully multiply these mini-shops all over France, before targeting other European countries.

Komet, a cashier-less mini shop

What: European B2B platform developed a new data standard that aspires to support the delivery of e-commerce product data in line with new industry requirements.

Why is it important: Fashion Cloud partnered with Bte and Euretco developed a guide to aid the 17,000 plus retailers who use its platform, download product data provided by brands. An added 2,000 retailers use the site to integrate product data from other brands into their web shops.

The need for this model came as the platform noticed variations in the data provided, it felt necessary to optimize the process so that retailers could access more straightforward data.

The data standard allows both brands and retailers clearer views of what is required for e-commerce  product data. This includes mandatory attributes expected by retailers, such as season, material and care instructions.

Fashion Cloud launches model to aid e-commerce product data

What: The emerging AI and machine learning tech startup, Adeptmind, backed by Ulta Beauty, provides its technology to over 400 retailers, shopping malls and brand clients.

Why is it important: Adeptmind wants to become the industry's go-to for product search, online and offline inventory with AI-personalised recommendations as online product discovery is an ongoing battleground for retailers.

Using customers' history and data mining, they enhance personal product recommendations on brand's websites. It is also growing into shoppable websites, with personal recommendations at its core, for malls and shopping destinations, compiling all the brand's mall stock onto one site.

With annual sales between $4 and $7 millionit is still a fledging business, but they have 400 retail clients, including shopping developments such as Mall of America, Plaza Las Américas, and Hudson Yards in Manhattan. Innospark, Ulta Beauty, Pi Labs and A/O Proptech have all invested and its ability to bring AI product recommendation to physical stock is something to keep in mind.

Retail clients are looking for dynamic homepages to display products most relevant to customers, based on the behaviour of similar users. Applying AI recommendation tools to physical inventory is useful for malls to have a commercial presence online as another potential stream of revenue and a way to connect with customers.

Fashion AI startup Adeptmind stands out

What: Leap, a company that operates physical stores for brands seeking to get into brick-and-mortar, has secured a USD 50 million financing that will be used to expand into other markets and work with additional brands.

Why it is important: Leap's operating model is that it works with digital brands seeking to open brick-and-mortar stores but lack the expertise and funding to do it alone. In 2021, the number of stores operated by Leap quadrupled to more than 50 in eight markets and the company now works with more than 30 brands.

The brands are including Naadam, Something Navy, Goodlife, ThirdLove, Lunya, Ring Concierge and Mack Weldon. The stores are located in NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Arizona, Florida, and Texas, and its reach has expanded beyond apparel and footwear to accessories, jewelry, intimates and home goods.

Leap enables brands to activate retail locations with speed and data-driven decisions, which minimizes risk, upfront costs and lease liabilities. More than 500 brands are said to have registered with Leap.

Leap was created in 2018 by entrepreneurs Tolia and Jared Golden with USD 3 million in seed money. Right before the pandemic shutdown, it secured another USD 15 million in Series A funding that it used to develop its technology, beef up its team and add brands and stores to its footprint.

Leap company expands

What: The company's automated kiosks hold pickup orders for multiple grocers and are initially targeting the same city centers where quick commerce has taken off.

Why it is important: Delipop is in many ways the opposite of the 15-minute delivery upstarts that have fanned out across the globe. It's a pickup service, for starters, and order fulfillment happens in a matter of hours, not minutes. It's also chosen to link up with grocers rather than vertically integrate, serving primarily as a logistics partner that brings a full range of groceries into its automated kiosks operating in busy city neighborhoods. Each location will store orders from multiple grocers.

To use the service, shoppers select a Delipop location for pickup when checking out from a grocer like Carrefour — its first announced partner — along with a pickup window that's at least four hours long. They'll receive an alert along with a QR code to access their order when it's ready at the location. When they walk in, a digital avatar greets them on the machine's screen as they approach. Moments later, their order bags appear in a sliding compartment at the base of the machine. Frozen items are available in a separate bank of lockers.

Delipop opened its first location last week in Paris's 16th arrondissement, filling orders from a selection of 15,000 SKUs through Carrefour. Over the next few years, the company plans to open 1,000 locations across France and 500 in the U.K., expanding from their initial urban locations into smaller towns and suburbs.

To gather groceries from its partner retailers, Delipop has trucks that make regular runs collecting pre-packed orders from retailers' stores or fulfillment centers and storing them in the automated system. At the Paris location, trucks make two runs per day, but the plan is to build to three daily runs next year as the service gains traction.

Delipop said the efficiency of aggregating orders, automating service and building out a network of multi-retailer locations results in lower fulfillment costs than traditional delivery and comparable pickup services. The company charges retailers a per-bag fee and retailers in France won't charge shoppers a fee but will require an order minimum.

Pickup depot Delipop launches an alternative to instant delivery

What: An app that pairs wardrobe twins for swapping clothing, pushing shoppers away from shopping for new clothes.

Why it is important: The app connects shoppers that resemble each other in both taste and size, providing an alternative way to curate wardrobe sustainably.

The Bandi app connects users to their 'fashion twins', which are the people that they resemble the most in fashion taste and body shape in order to easily swap clothes.

Users create a profile to list all of the items they no longer wear and Bandi matches people with others of similar size, body shape, and style. Users propose a swap and ship items in a reusable Bandi bag. There are no subscriptions, swaps are free (other than paying for postage and paying for the reusable shipping bag).

Learn more about Bandi here 

What:  Cegid enters a new market by proposing a multi-device, multi-operating system omnichannel solution to its retail customers

Why it is important:  To what extent this solution is new and innovates when compared to already existing players, such as Shopify, remains to be looked at. Also, one might wonder about the late timing of such a strategic move.

Cegid is launching a cloud-based omnichannel and collaborative store solution, to help retailers accelerating in their digital transformation. Cegid is known for operating many systems at the POS level (including cash desks) which makes the integration easier. It also includes apps and software compatible with any device and operating systems, helping both staff and customers to make the most of the proposed solutions wherever they are. It is also mentioned to be coming as an interesting way to maximize Shopify features but one may wonder if Cegid is not trying to replicate their strategy, and also if they are not too late in doing so.

Learn more about the cegid retail live store 

Cegid launches Cegid Retail Live Store (Retail Bulletin)

What: Avery Dennison is the largest provider of RFID tags to the apparel industry.

Why it is important: RFID technology has seen a rise in retail use cases as the need for accurate supply chain visibility at all times is necessary as the omnichannel offer extends into new services.

Avery Dennison is a leader in RFID tags and connected garments. They offer many services as well as end-to-end solutions that offer transparency from sourcing to the end consumer. This technology enables retailers to have a full vision of their inventory in real time.

Recently Greta Moser, Supply Chain & Product Development Manager at Avery Dennison, presented their new circular platform that unleashes the power of connected clothes and shoes by assigning a digital identity to each item. This will allow customers of Avery Dennison to not only supply chain visibility, but also traceability and circularity, digital consumer engagement, and personalization and customization.  The platform provides an end-to-end solution of transparency in a circular economy approach.

Learn more about Avery Dennison here

*Overview: Loyalty is at the core of most retail businesses. It costs less to efficiently engage existing clients - especially top spenders - than it does to acquire them. Personal relationships with store employees remain a key asset for brands to power long-term and profitable loyalty with customers.*

Department stores are ideally positioned to drive loyalty with shoppers

While loyalty can be driven by engaging point systems and gamification strategies, the personal touch and empathy that well-trained and incentivized store employees can garner is hard to compete with. We all know of countless stories of satisfied customers who will make the extra step to return to a particular sales associate and location to buy new products.

Human connections drive a lot of a brand's recurring business because when it comes to decision making, a personal point of view is often worth gold. As technology-advanced as our societies may be, we still depend very much on the herd mentality. Aspiration and personal recommendation by individuals still drive a vast amount of business today.

Department stores are particularly well positioned to tap into that opportunity for 3 primary reasons:

1. Diversity of choice: department stores cover a far wider and deeper inventory than D2C brands do. Diversity of choice - no only in the product itself but also in terms of verticals and product category positively impacts conversion. The ability for department store employees to tap into that is key to create a wider range of personal recommendations for each customer. Unless a client is looking for a very specific item, an experienced associate usually makes the difference with their ability to cover a much wider range of product options and identify the right match for their customer.
2. Empathy: well-trained store employees are masters at listening to their customers. Catching all the personal details that make a person unique, not only allows the employee to more often convert a prospect into a sale but it also allows them to leverage those insights to drive loyalty. Loyalty is not driven only by personal incentives. The discounts / offers associated to a loyalty program are irrelevant if the customer doesn't know what they want to buy within a points redemption time frame. Department store associates play a crucial role in that process when they are able to access and leverage customer data to help shoppers learn about relevant products and make buying decisions.
3. Clarity: everyone of us has dealt with decision fatigue. The amount of options and variations in products out there is staggering and more often than not, a sale will not convert because the client is lost in a "decision loop". This is particularly true when it comes to high-ticket items or more generally in Fashion, Beauty and Personal Care. More than any other sales associate, Department store employees must bring the level of clarity needed to her customer to make the final decision.

Relational Shopping is the foundation of long-term engagement

Today's standard loyalty programs are ideally designed for self-service: a customer is incentivized to accumulate value and track their progress through a set of milestones that they are invited to reach. They can do all this on their own and often redeem their offers either in-store and online.

What these programs are often not doing is build a personal relationship with the customer. That is fine when they are applied to high-volume and relatively low-cost consumer goods (e.g. Starbucks' iconic "Stars" loyalty system) but it's a problem when the product sold is not subject to discounts / offers and when the purchase is high enough of an investment. In that case, the best "loyalty program" left for a brand is the relationship that can be created and nurtured between a client and department store employee.

Relational Shopping is a term that was coined by our company, Clientela Inc. It's a methodology and set of tools that are put in place by a retailer to look at online and in-store shopping beyond their purely transactional nature and leverage instead the personal relationship between store employees and customers as a key lever to drive business: converting a prospect online, driving an existing client to come back in-store, upselling loyal customers… Unless a client knows exactly which product they are looking for and that is precisely all they want from the interaction with the Department Store, the ability of store associates to nurture client relationships across channels (online, in-store, remote shopping via video, chat, etc.) and the tools made available to them become fundamental.

Coherence and user experience are key drivers for technology adoption

As Apple has been proving over and over, the ability to have a "vertical" offering covering software, hardware, supply chain and even the rails of innovation (the App Store) is a winning formula for digital innovation. By controlling the entire experience from start to finish, the brand has been able to build a "hook" with their customers. The experience is the same whether you are in Tokyo, Paris or in the middle of nowhere in Montana.

In contrast, many retailers and brands have been "plugging together" highly disparate solutions. The result is that each solution has addressed a particular issue but the lack of coherence between them and ability to seamlessly switch from one to the other has created new challenges for employees and managers.

Adding solutions to a tech stack is relatively easy, but the focus on integrating all of them into one tool - typically living on a mobile device - in order to create a coherent user experience is typically what makes or breaks a digital strategy. That is why Department Stores should fully commit to building a comprehensive experience not only for their customers but their employees as well.

In Sum

The Department Stores' nature as aggregators of products, services and experiences, combined with a comprehensive vision for digital innovation and the working tools used by a well-trained workforce places them in a clear position of strength to success. However, their ability to build a long-term strategy around loyalty and Relational Shopping solutions which place sales associates at the center of the conversation make for a magic formula in retail, one that only they are able to achieve, with the right approach.

Arnaud Barbelet – COO / Clientela - abarbelet@clientela.com

*Clientela is a RetailTech company based in New York and Paris.

For more than 10 years, Clientela has defined and developed applications dedicated to improving the performance of salespeople and employees of major brands, distributors and department stores.

Main services are Clienteling, Drive-to-Store and boutique's resource management.

www.clientela.com*

Learn more about Clientela here

What: Cart.com is an end-to-end e-commerce service delivering a fully integrated and owned suite of software, services, and infrastructure.

Why it is important: With the solution suite offered, retailers of any size can work with a single partner to attain the same capabilities as some of the world's largest companies.

Cart.com offers a wealth of business solutions including online store software, digital marketing services, fulfillment services, financial services, and customer service capabilities.

Retailers already working with Cart.com: Dollar General, GNC, Guess

Funding: USD 98 million in Series B funding

Check out their solution below.

Learn more about Cart.com here 

What: ByondXR is a virtual shopping startup that brings the in-person in-store shopping experience online.

Why it is important: The solution gives retailers the ability to let customers around the world experience, shop in, and view an identical virtual version of their flagship stores.

Customers can also use the tech to see how products would look in their own homes.

Retailers already using ByondXR: Target, Calvin Klein, L'Oréal, and Coca-Cola

Funding: USD 7million in seed funding

Learn more about ByondXR here

*Overview: Successful relational shopping requires a solid data collection practice. Information that tells a story about a potential customer's tastes, preferences, habits and history makes it possible to better understand potential buyers and existing clients. This in turn allows retailers to build more profitable and longer-term relationships with their global markets.*

Department stores are uniquely positioned for data capture

Department Stores' deeper and wider merchandising assortment generates higher-volume, and more importantly, higher quality data, giving them an edge over single-brand businesses.

This in turns not only allows the brand to better qualify its prospects and existing clients, but also its employees to build a deeper, more personal and unique experience with shoppers. In other words, Department stores are uniquely positioned to build a virtuous cycle around data, one that can drive business growth for years to come and support the brand when sales fall short (e.g. during a pandemic).

What is "data" anyway?

Data is a broad concept, so it is worth looking at what exactly we are referring to, namely:

1. Demographic data: information about a shopper's location, preferred language, gender, age and more. Those are naturally relevant for a successful buying journey where relevance is key.
2. Product / merchandising data: in this category especially, Department Stores have a key edge as they are able to capture a far wider range of prospects and client interactions. Merchandising data can range from browser products on the website to selected product categories during a booking journey and more. Naturally, the richer the product data, the more relevant the sales team's effort will be.
3. Contextual data: is the shopper buying for herself or someone else? Is she getting married? Is she in a rush or planning ahead? Contextual data offers invaluable insights for the sales team to create a personal touch when interacting with their customers.
4. Product lifecycle data: this one is particularly relevant from an operational standpoint for a Department Store's sales team, as it is defined around the natural follow up opportunities certain categories of products imply. This may include after-sale questions about how to use an appliance (e.g. an advanced vaccum), maintenance service on a watch, second visit for a wedding dress fitting… these are some example of product lifecycle data that further

Data is expensive. Online digital services allow to capture more, earlier.

The cost of obtaining, maintaining and consolidating customer data is high. As a result, the more and better data is capture early in the buying system, the more successful a retailer becomes over time.

Shopping is driven by experience. The ability for Department Stores to elevate this experience online with prospects and clients - even before they visit stores - has become fundamental. This means thinking well beyond "adding a chat" or "booking tool" on their website.

The quality of the experience are only partly a function of the tools used. What distinguishes a brand's experience is the people - employees - who drive that experience. This means the more trained but also and more importantly informed employees are about the market, the more successful they will be at forging long-term relationships.

The solution to this is actually simple: put sales associates front and center in the buying process. This means allowing a new prospect in Paris to quickly connect and book an appointment with a wedding specialist, or a an existing watch owner in New York to be contacted by a watch expert near him to discuss their needs and then plan a follow up appointment online or in-store.

Ultimately, Department Stores can't limit themselves to adding a feature - e.g. a Chat - on their website. They need to think about their digital services as a complete and globalized ecosystem centered around people.

When they do that correctly, the sky is the limit.

Lorenzo Benazzo – CEO Clientela - lbenazzo@clientela.com

*Clientela is a RetailTech company based in New York and Paris.

For more than 10 years, Clientela has defined and developed applications dedicated to improving the performance of salespeople and employees of major brands, distributors and department stores.

Main services are Clienteling, Drive-to-Store and boutique's resource management.

www.clientela.com*

Learn more about Clientela here

What: Trove creates and runs branded recommerce sites, where brands buy and sell used items to consumers.

Why it is important: By letting brands own their trade-in and resale channels, Trove enables them to stay closer to their customers, find new customers without sacrificing premium positioning, and control their brand while helping the environment and giving consumers a discount.

Circular shopping is becoming a big business. Instead of clothes going from - store, to consumer, to landfill, - items get a second (or third) life by circling back into use on the resale market, increasing sustainability and helping the environment, all while saving consumers money. Luxury consignment sites like The Real Real and Poshmark are a growing business, but brands have no control over what happens inside, make no money off those resales, gain no consumer data, and can't guarantee the articles offered are genuine. Trove gives brands back the power in the resale market.

Retailers already using Trove: lululemon, Patagonia, REI, Nordstrom, and Levi's

Funding: recently secured USD 77.5 million in Series D funding.

Learn more about Trove here

• A seemingly simple tool, however with potential applications that go beyond the use cases displayed on stage.
• Pitchy is an AI-powered online video editor, that allows the making of high-quality videos quickly, simply and without any particular skills. They can be used online, on websites, but also on social media or in 1 to 1 communication. In terms of practicality, think "PowerPoint applied to video conception". See how it works by clicking here.
• Why do we think this is important?   A simple and versatile tool, that can be used at the HQ level on many topics (training, motivational or informational messages) but also on the sales floor when it comes to presenting efficiently a new product to inform customers, just with a phone, or by marketing departments to tease their next campaigns.

Contact: Jimmy Moe, International Sales Manager, jmoe@pitchy.io 

https://www.pitchy.io

Pitchy - Video creation made easy

Check out more startups from Vivatech here

• A reverse approach to marketplaces in order to promote real stores to local customers and let them have access to the best deals, offline.
• Achille is a device-driven solution that applies the principle of marketplace (in terms of choice, offer and access to products) to real stores. The advantages for retailers are that Achille works exactly in the same way as a virtual marketplace, however is a great complement in terms of local business solution at a limited cost of operation. You can watch their demo video by clicking here.
• Why do we think this is important? A simple tool that comes as an extra software layer, thus not requiring heavy IT integration, which also provides a solution for our members who have a large regional network and want to make sure they cover all their types of customers, including the less connected ones.

To be noted:  The IADS already showed to its members a similar solution, UK-based, during the Store Operations meeting in 2017: Nearst, founded by Nick Brackenbury

Contact: Fabrice Moncault, founder, fabrice@achille.shop

https://www.achille.shop

Achile - Physical stores marketplace

Check out more startups from Vivatech here

• The WOW effect in windows and on the sales floor, with a wide variety of animations in 3D that either represent the products on display or complement them with additional information. In addition to this, a solution for live streaming IADS members that could contribute to animate stores from the network while having the live session in the flagship.
• A series of state-of-the art screens and display technologies allowing jaw-dropping interactions with products (click here to see the video of their Totem Holix solution, applied to Kenzo). But more importantly, a camera and screening system allowing streaming in real time a 3-D, life sized picture of the speaker, in a clear and natural manner (click here to see the video of they Crystalman solution) . With the appropriate system, the speaker, wherever he/she is based, can interact with the audience watching the screen.
• Why do we think this is important? Live streaming sessions are now crucial for our members' businesses, but can be expensive, all the more so if they involve a celebrity or an influencer. In addition, they tend to address only an online audience. We see this technological solution as a way to maximize the investment by being able to show the streaming in other stores, therefore creating occasions for drive-to-store events addressing the local clientele.

Contact: Cédric Besacier, cofounder, cedric@agence-fosfor.fr

https://www.agence-fosfor.fr

Fosfor - Visual Display solutions

Check out more startups from Vivatech here

• An interesting initiative, supported by LVMH, which provides to brands and retailers the possibility to guarantee a 100% sustainable delivery process thanks to circular packaging,
• Hipli has developed reusable packaging (envelopes, covers) that is shipped back free of charge by the customer upon receipt of the product. Hipli washes the packaging, prepares it again and reinjects it in the process. Packaging elements can be branded, and the solution is already 100% working in France, currently being expanded in Europe. The system works as a "Packaging as a service"
• Why do we think this is important? Hipli provides an easy to implement and non-industrially committing solution to members to move forward in their sustainability initiatives. For now, they have only inked deals with brands, but there is no reason why retailers should not be interested either. It is also a very visible step, that can provide significant PR coverage (contrary to other initiatives that, even though they are needed and useful, might be less visible and interesting for the general public).

Contact: Lysianne Coquin, cofounder, lysianne.coquin@hipli.Fr

<https://hipli.fr/en/>

Hipli - Brand presentation + pliant parcels

Hipli - Brand presentation + Rigid Parcel

Hipli - Branded example

Check out more startups from Vivatech here