Key Highlights
- Pandora partners with InPost UK to introduce 24/7 parcel locker delivery for online shoppers.
- AI is a strategic focus for Pandora, with plans to expand an AI-powered immersive online experience globally.
- Kingfisher’s Hello Casto tool has had over 350,000 chatbot conversations by H1 2025 and is being used as a strategic investment.
- AI in retail awards will recognize companies using AI to improve everyday work processes for efficiency and innovation.
Pandora Expands Delivery Options with InPost UK
In response to increasing demand during peak shopping periods, jewelry retailer Pandora has partnered with parcel locker service provider InPost UK. This collaboration aims to enhance delivery flexibility for online shoppers by offering a 24/7 parcel locker option throughout the United Kingdom. According to Grace Bell, E-commerce Omnichannel Operations & Marketplace Manager at Pandora, this new service will complement other recent initiatives like next-day delivery and Click & Collect from its store network of over 200 locations.
“As we head into peak and the Christmas shopping season, this new delivery option will make it easier than ever for our shoppers to collect and return their orders, within their own schedule,” Bell stated on LinkedIn. “Along with our recent activation of next day delivery and ability to Click & Collect orders from our 200+ stores in two hours, InPost UK 4/7 locker delivery is yet another step in then further evolving how we deliver for our customers.”
AI-Powered Innovations at Pandora
Pandora’s commitment to leveraging AI technology extends beyond just delivery services. The company envisions a future where an AI-powered immersive online experience will be available globally, particularly for its bracelet customization service. Catarina Runa Miranda, Global AI Director and London Digital Hub Lead at Pandora, highlighted the importance of this initiative.
“Our big bet is on AI-based storytelling,” Miranda explained. “We believe it’s a big opportunity for us online via an AI assistant.
In Australia we’ve already rolled out an AI-powered fully immersive online experience – not just a chatbot – that will help customers choose the most appropriate charm for when they are building their ‘bracelet story’.”
She elaborated on Pandora’s customer base, noting that buyers often personalize bracelets with charms related to specific interests or life events. “We ask who are you buying this for and why? Do you, or they, like gardening and so on, as we can then suggest specific charms,” Miranda added.
Strategic AI Investments in Retail
Other companies discussed the strategic use of AI at the FT Live Future of Retail event in London. Mohsen Ghasempour, Chief AI Officer at Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and Screwfix DIY brands in the UK and Castorama in France, shared insights into their Hello Casto tool. This AI-powered virtual assistant has had 350,000 chatbot conversations by H1 2025, demonstrating its effectiveness as a strategic investment.
“Today, we’ve got 45 people working on this programme,” Ghasempour said during the event. “It’s time to place big strategic bets on AI technology. The time for pilots and small-scale experimentation has passed.”
AI in Retail Innovation Awards
In recognition of these advancements, RTIH is now accepting entries for its inaugural AI in Retail Awards. Sponsored by 3D Cloud and EdTech Innovation Hub, the awards aim to celebrate global technology innovation in a fast-moving omnichannel world and the resulting benefits for retailers, shoppers, and employees.
The event will take place on Thursday, 29th January at The Barbican in Central London, featuring a drinks reception in the Conservatory followed by a three-course meal and awards ceremony in the Garden Room. Categories include various areas of AI application in retail, encouraging companies to showcase their innovative use of technology.
With 2025 set to be the year when AI, particularly generative large language models (GEO), becomes embedded in retail business processes, these awards will highlight those companies making a tangible impact through strategic AI investments. The future of retail is increasingly intertwined with technological advancements, and this event aims to recognize leaders driving innovation forward.
