Zone’s Rianna Mitchell handpicks and shares the five best new stories on digital trends, experiences and technologies…
1. Amazon sets up new digital insurance store
Amazon has launched a new digital insurance store in the UK focusing on home policies. So far, the e-commerce giant has three insurers onboard — Ageas UK, Co-op, and LV= General Insurance — and the service will only be available to a limited number of customers, with payments being taken from the same payment card used for other shopping.
According to the tech firm, its “simplified” experience gives it a competitive advantage, offering streamlined questionnaires and a checkout experience integrated with the Amazon site. However, “it may not be the cheapest supplier in town,” says Senior Analyst, Susannah Streeter, and may run the risk of consumers prioritising “value over efficiency” amid the cost-of-living crisis.
2. The AR way to try on Halloween costumes
Snapchat has tied up with costume design and manufacturing firm Disguise to launch an AR shopping experience for spooky season. Users can try on Halloween costumes from Disguise’s 2022 collection without having to step foot in store and can purchase and share costumes with fellow Snapchatters.
The initiative was prompted by the whopping 92% of Snapchat users showing interest in using AR; 250 million engaged in AR shopping Lenses more than five billion times since January 2021. Ben Schwerin, SVP of Content and Partnerships at Snapchat, says: “These Halloween AR try-on experiences represent what makes shopping on Snapchat so seamless and fun.”
3. New payment feature on the block
Hollister has introduced a new payment method that permits teens to share their digital shopping bag with their parents to complete the transaction. Research conducted by the apparel retailer discovered that most teen shoppers do not hold buying power — a key frustration point in its online customers’ buying process.
To use the new payment functionality, shoppers add items to their online cart and select “Share2Pay” at the checkout before a link is sent to the purchaser via text. The purchaser can review the items in their Hollister app and pay with the option to add or remove items.
4. Evri uses AI to improve delivery service
Evri, previously known as Hermes, has designed a new bespoke software, Parcel Vision, to enhance parcel delivery accuracy and customer communication. The software utilises machine learning and AI technology to detect and flag any safe place photos that are snapped by the courier as proof of delivery, but which fail to show the parcel properly and where it has been left.
Innovation Engineer at Evri, Sam Greenwood, says: “We are always looking to leverage technology to support delivery accuracy and further improve the customer experience.” Evri are currently regionally trialling Parcel Vision in the UK before launching it in other areas in time for the festive season.
5. Exploring engineering in the metaverse
Zone hosted its second hackathon of the year, where VR-loving employees explored the engineering options in the metaverse. The day involved experimenting with Meta’s Horizon Worlds and A-Frame, particularly understanding how users can create an interactive digital world and one that makes people feel safe.
Zone’s Technical Director, Steven Newstead, shares the team’s discoveries on how the event went, from getting setup on Oculus Quest devices to inventing their own game. Read more here.
