Retail and eCommerce highlights this week include: CJ Lang selects RELEX Solutions to provide forecasting and replenishment across its retail and wholesale Business. Former Attraqt CEO Mark Adams returns to BigCommerce to take EMEA to the next level of enterprise growth. Dev.co has launched an unlimited graphic design and UX service with new innovative subscription-based service. Installs of finance apps have grown 25% across Africa, according to the latest report from AppsFlyer and Google. JNTU-Kakinada to leverage Infosys’ online learning platform, Infosys Springboard, to enhance industry-readiness and employability of youth in India.
CJ Lang selects RELEX Solutions to provide forecasting and replenishment tools
CJ Lang & Son Ltd has selected RELEX, a provider of unified supply chain and retail planning solutions, to automate and optimise their supply chain processes. CJ Lang are the wholesaler for SPAR in Scotland. The company is the largest Scottish convenience store franchise, with over 300 stores across the country. RELEX will deliver integrated store, and DC forecasting and replenishment, as well as improved allocations and promotional forecasting for CJ Lang’s company-owned stores and distribution centre. RELEX will also drive improved order accuracy, sharing of forecasts to suppliers, and fresh assortment optimization.
CJ Lang sought a solution that could significantly improve the management and automation of their ordering processes so they could focus on more value-adding tasks. They looked to RELEX for their market reputation in convenience forecasting and replenishment, as well as to deliver improvements to promotions and product lifecycle management and save staff time to focus on customer experience.
Mark Adams re-joins BigCommerce to lead EMEA growth
BigCommerce has announced that Mark Adams will join the company as senior vice president and general manager for EMEA. Adams previously led BigCommerce’s entry into the European market from 2018 to 2020 and established the team that has been driving EMEA growth since then. BigCommerce reported 31% year-over-year revenue growth in EMEA in the third quarter of 2022, the most recent financial reporting period.
Adams joins BigCommerce following two and a half years as CEO of Attraqt, where he led the publicly listed company through the global pandemic and completed multiple acquisitions, ultimately leading to the company’s December 2022 acquisition by K1 Investment Management. He brings nearly two decades of experience at the senior executive level within the eCommerce industry and over 20 years of experience in software and services in the digital space. Earlier in his career, Mark co-founded and led the digital transformation agency eComp Consulting as well as SAP hybris systems integrator Portaltech Reply.
Adams succeeds Jim Herbert, who recently assumed the role of CEO of Patchworks, a BigCommerce technology partner. Over the last 18 months under Herbert’s leadership, BigCommerce has significantly expanded its EMEA presence with operations in the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Austria. European brands, including Ted Baker, Tottenham Hotspur, MKM Building Supplies, Draper Tools, HK Living and Avios Group, have launched on the BigCommerce platform during Herbert’s tenure.
UUX.co launches a subscription-based unlimited UX and graphic design service
Software development and web design company, DEV.co has launched a new website and design service, UUX.co. The new solution offers unlimited UX and graphic design services for a monthly subscription. UUX.co is an innovative service helping businesses create user experiences with the help of professional designers without breaking the bank.
With access to unlimited design requests and no project limits, companies can get their projects done quickly and efficiently with UUX.co’s team of talented professionals. The subscription-based model makes it easy for businesses to budget for their graphic design needs on an ongoing basis. It will ensure they always have access to high-quality designs when they need them most.
Businesses will have access to design templates, unlimited revisions, and direct customer support with their UUX.co subscription. With their membership, they can also take advantage of free consultation sessions with experienced designers to get feedback on their projects.
With their UUX.co membership, businesses can access all the latest design trends in the UX and graphic design industry, as well as a library of design templates created by experienced designers. The website also offers an easy-to-use project management system that enables users to track progress and make changes to their projects in real-time. Additionally, businesses can access discounts on other services provided by DEV.co.
DEV.co was founded by Marketer.co, the parent company of SEO.co. Originally founded in 2010 as a link-building agency for SEO, the company has since evolved to become an industry leader in SEO and content marketing. They continue to provide innovative solutions for businesses that are looking to maximize their online visibility and boost their search engine rankings.
Finance app installs in Africa jump 25% attracting 3% higher ad spending
Installs of finance apps have grown 25% across Africa, according to the latest report from AppsFlyer and Google. The reports is based on an analysis of 140 million installs across 3,000 finance apps. The report highlights the rising interest in managing finances using apps to navigate economic uncertainty.
The African countries leading the rise in finance app installs were Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. Ghana saw installs of finance apps spike by 200%. This was followed by Nigeria at 33%. Kenya recorded a 5% growth while South Africa declined by 11%.
Among the top Google search trends between May 2021 and 2022 were lending and currency conversions, hinting at the uncertainty of the economic situation. South Africa recorded a 700% rise in search intent for “grant status” and “payment date”. In addition to a 51% increase in intent for “loan application searches”. Similarly, “currency conversion” searches rose 74% in intent.
Nigeria recorded a 68% search intent for “loan app”, while in Kenya, people searched for “currency conversion” (52%). The rise in app installs correlates to an increase in app install ad spending across Africa. App install ad spending for finance rose a total of 3% and represented around 87% of total spending across the continent in 2022, compared with the previous year.
There was a 45% rise in finance app install ad spending on Android devices as marketers ramp up budgets to acquire new users and reengage existing ones. Installs from remarking campaigns surged by 55%.
Infosys collaborates with Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University to digitally skill India through Infosys Springboard
Infosys has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University – Kakinada (JNTU-K). The agreement will accelerate digital and life skills development across India through its online learning platform, Infosys Springboard. The platform is already delivering corporate-grade learning experiences by orchestrating closer educator-learner collaboration.
As part of the engagement with Infosys, JNTU-K will offer e-content on their website, including self-learning material, assignments and projects. The website is powered by Infosys Springboard, to accelerate digital skills development. JNTU-K has introduced 8 skill-oriented courses in collaboration with Infosys. Industry-relevant content will be made available, through Infosys Springboard, to 200+ affiliated institutions impacting about 1.5 lakh students. This will benefit not just students but members of their faculty, to help implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Since its launch, Infosys Springboard continues to expand its reach to learners by growing its thriving community to more than 3.5 million registered users. Through its academia-industry collaboration initiative, Campus Connect, over 1,000 higher educational institutions have registered on the Infosys Springboard platform. Infosys, in line with its ESG Vision 2030, aims to enable digital skills at scale and empower over 10 million people in India through the Infosys Springboard program.
