Revolutionizing Retail: ace turtle’s Vision and Technology-Driven Strategy for the Future

CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Amit Kriplani, CTO, ace turtle

Could you outline ace turtle’s vision and strategy for revolutionizing retail sector through technology?
ace turtle started a decade ago as a retail SaaS company providing omnichannel retail technology solutions to global brands and retailers. Our motto has always been to transform retail through technology. We see ourselves as a technology-native retail company. ace turtle is vertically integrated from design, local manufacturing and marketing to reach consumers directly. Our operations are powered by our proprietary technology platforms which use data science and AI from design to fulfilment to meet ever-evolving consumer expectations. We are the exclusive licensee of iconic global brands Lee®, Wrangler®, Toys“R”Us® and Babies“R”Us® for India and other South Asian markets. Our proprietary and unified tech platform drives real-time and data-driven decision making unlike traditional retail companies where siloed tech results in a struggle to get the right data in time.

What technologies have you adopted in your stores, and how have these platforms enhanced the customer experience?
ace turtle has revolutionized the shopping experience with various in-store technologies. Smart mirrors in Lee and Wrangler stores suggest items in real-time, enhancing fitting room experiences. Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) provide instant inventory and pricing updates, while Endless Aisles integrate online and offline shopping. Wrangler’s AR mural offers interactive visuals, and Lee’s AR-enabled smart mirrors provide personalized recommendations. QR codes in sale windows highlight their omnichannel focus, enhancing customer conversion through virtual merchandising. This integration of smart mirrors, ESL, Endless Aisles, and AR technologies blends innovation with consumer engagement.

At Dockers store in New Delhi, we have deployed AI-enabled cameras to capture data on footfall, gender and demographics. We also have centralized digital signage system in place at the store.

How does Rubicon 3.0, merge online and offline retail channels to enhance efficiency and scalability?
Rubicon 3.0 enables our brands to have a unified view & easy, seamless, optimized management of their commerce operations across channels. This starts from a single view of catalogue, inventory & price across channels like marketplaces, websites, endless aisles, social commerce, conversational commerce, etc. to customer order management, optimized fulfilment, deliveries, returns and customer support.
In terms of impact, Rubicon has enabled the following:
• 6x faster cataloguing
• Approximately 75% reduction in average TAT
• Minimal cost and time of adding or removing channels

How does Connect 2.0 optimize retail operations, and what advantages does it provide in terms of reducing operational teams and improving compliance visibility?
Our proprietary Connect 2.0 app fully digitizes retail store operations across the design to customer value chain, minimizing the need for heavy and hierarchical sales teams. It enables on-ground compliance visibility to central teams of the brand resulting in higher efficiency & productivity. It also enables consistent in-store experiences and consistency across channels.
It also delivers higher retail store sales, by influencing the customer with innovative digital interventions across the purchase journey and by engaging, motivating the sales staff and empowering them with customer & product insights for higher conversions.
• Faster and easier order fulfilment process
• Visibility of retail KPIs via dashboard
• Integrated customer support via Connect app

Can you share any success stories or case studies where ace turtle’s technology and services had a significant impact on a brand’s business?
In FY23, we achieved highest-ever annual sales for both Lee and Wrangler in their 25-year history in India. We grew the business of both the brands by more than 100% in FY23 over FY22. In the last fiscal FY24, we saw significant growth and grew by almost 40% over FY23. We have seen strong growth in business for Wrangler, Lee and Toys”R”Us. We launched Dockers in February this year and expect it to add to our revenues in FY25.

How do you envision technology influencing the future of retail?
The future of retail hinges on tech-driven personalization and convenience. Technology is set to revolutionize the retail landscape and enhance the customer experience. Few years later we might see AI suggesting clothes tailored to your taste, a smooth online-to-store shopping transition, and effortless cashless checkouts. Stores will use data to anticipate your needs, while voice assistants and smart carts will simplify the shopping process. This technological evolution will make shopping faster, easier, and perfectly suited to individual preferences.