The retail store technology arm of Japanese conglomerate Toshiba, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, is partnering with digital commerce solution Stor.ai.
Stor.ai’s solution integrates fulfilment methods, point of sale and retail catalogues into mobile-oriented ecommerce experiences leveraging AI, omnichannel marketing tools and delivery logistics software. Its customers include the likes of Unilever and Microsoft.
The partnership will see Stor.ai’s platform integrated within Toshiba’s retail technology environment, which provides over 3.25 million POS and self-checkout units worldwide, allowing customers to build scalable online storefronts connected to infrastructure.
Framing the move as a response to a boom in online grocery shopping caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the companies suggested integrated solutions for conducted sales on- and offline were required to meet rising consumer demand for digital solutions. That imperative for digital transformation is also being driven by the dominance of a number of digital-first ecommerce providers.
"With ecommerce growing at breakneck speeds, retail store integration has often struggled to keep pace with rising use – and retailers increasingly demand integrated online sales solutions to ensure positive retail experiences for customers," said Orlee Tal, CEO, Stor.ai.
"This partnership strengthens the stor.ai mission, which is to create customer-first commerce, where consumers have one seamless, personalised, digital experience across all platforms. Aligning with Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions will help retailers shift towards front-end and digital transformation in a simple, convenient and user-oriented manner."
Stor.ai’s will provide a white-labelled SaaS solution via Microsoft Azure, offering online shopping solutions as part of an envisioned suite of digital solutions incorporating the entire retailer and customer journey.
"By partnering with stor.ai, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions can enable an integrated digital shopping experience for our retailers, allowing for an alternative to services such as Instacart," said John Pistone, Executive Director, Solutions Strategy and Business Development, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions.
"Instacart and other third-party solutions are frequently unprofitable to the retailer, control the consumer relationship and customer data, and have the potential to disintermediate the retailer from the equation. This partnership opens the doors for profitable scalability as the industry sees online orders grow."
