These are the RTIH retail systems articles that caught your fancy last week, including physical stores in a digital era, Walmart and Netflix teaming up and Gen Zs tapping TikTok and Pinterest for their Black Friday and Christmas shopping.

Tesco customers fume as IT system outage hits website and app

Tesco’s grocery website and app were offline for a number of hours over the weekend, a result of the retailer being hit by hackers.

Netflix Hub at Walmart digital storefront goes live

The world’s largest retailer and streaming service have opened an online store.

Netflix Hub at Walmart is pitched as the  “biggest online retail destination for Netflix consumer products in the US.” 

It includes a Stranger Things music collection and action figures, Squid Game apparel, Cocomelon dolls and an Ada Twist lab playset.

It also promises customers “exclusive experiences to engage with popular Netflix shows in innovative ways.”

Six ways to leverage physical stores in a digital era

Don’t believe the online hype. E-commerce might well be booming, but stores remain a vitally important part of the retail landscape. For proof of this, look no further than the following retailers who are using physical locations to survive and thrive in a fast changing omnichannel world.

Tesco opens Trigo powered GetGo checkout-free store

Tesco has launched its first high street checkout-free store.

As we reported in July, named GetGo, this can be found in High Holborn, on the edge of the City of London.

Kevin Tindall, Managing Director at Tesco Convenience, says: “We are constantly looking for ways to improve the shopping experience and our latest innovation offers a seamless checkout for customers on the go, helping them to save a bit more time.”

“This is currently just a one store trial, but we’re looking forward to seeing how our customers respond.”

The Very Group launches retail technology career reinvention programme

Digital retailer The Very Group is offering a path back into technology roles for people who have taken a career break of two years or more.

The first phase of the company’s ‘career reinvention programme’, which is now open for applications, will initially recruit 10 people into a range of technology roles, including flexible hours and part time options, based in the north west of England.  

Very intends to significantly expand the initiative in 2022.

Amazon and Starbucks eye Just Walk Out retail technology tie up

Amazon and Starbucks have discussed the creation of co-branded coffee shops featuring the former’s Just Walk Out technology. 

Gen Zs pick TikTok for Black Friday and Xmas shopping

Six in ten Gen Zs will do their Black Friday 2021 and Christmas shopping using alternative methods such as Pinterest, TikTok and Alexa, according to research by Brightpearl.

Forget offline vs online. The big word in retail is hybrid

Too much time has been wasted on the offline vs online debate. The reality is that both are hugely important to forward thinking retailers. The big word right now is hybrid, that is, the blurring of online and offline and the pursuit of one customer experience.

Don’t miss your chance to enter our retail technology awards

Time is running out to enter (free of charge) the 2021 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, sponsored by PMC, StoreSpace, Critizr, Marxent, QVALON and Selazar, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

The 2021 categories can be found here and you have until Friday, 5th November to get your entries in.

Former Sainsbury’s boss David Tyler joins Imagr

New Zealand-based autonomous checkout startup, Imagr, has appointed former Sainsbury’s Chair, David Tyler, as Chair of its board.