Red Ant

What Red Ant does

Red Ant is an employee-owned retail technology company that provides RetailOS, a unified omnichannel platform, to enterprise retailers across luxury, beauty, footwear, home/furniture, and jewellery verticals. Headquartered in London with regional offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai, the company states its technology is deployed in over 30 countries and serves named clients including Charlotte Tilbury, Furniture Village, Chalhoub Group, Beaverbrooks, Halfords, and Smythson. Its employee-ownership structure, with no external investors, differentiates it from typical venture-backed retail SaaS competitors by aligning incentives around long-term client outcomes rather than investor returns.

RetailOS is built on a headless, technology-agnostic (MACH-compatible) architecture that integrates with retailers' existing systems rather than requiring rip-and-replace deployments. The platform bundles pre-integrated modules including Clienteling, Assisted Sales, Omnichannel POS, Actionable Analytics (powered by Sisense), Virtual Consultations, Click & Collect with BOPIS/BOPAK, and SellSmart Machine Learning for AI-driven recommendations. Reported client outcomes include a 150% increase in average transaction value, 25%+ productivity gains, a 6-month ROI, and a 35% increase in secondary purchases. The Virtual Consultations module, launched during the 2020 pandemic, enabled luxury retailers to maintain sales through video-based remote clienteling and has since become a cornerstone feature.

Red Ant operates exclusively through direct enterprise field sales with no self-serve, marketplace, or reseller channels. Revenue is generated primarily from RetailOS subscription/licensing alongside implementation and professional services, with all engagements initiated through consultative demo requests and delivered via multi-week agile deployments. The company has not raised external funding, remains privately held under employee ownership, and has accumulated multiple industry recognitions including the 2020 Retail Systems Awards (three trophies), the 2022 AI Global Excellence Award for Most Innovative Omnichannel Clienteling Platform, three 2023 MENA Stevies, and the 2023 Seamless Middle East Award for Best CX and Engagement.

Name

Red Ant

Legal name

Red Ant Digital Ltd

Website

https://redant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Red Ant is an employee-owned retail technology company providing RetailOS, a headless omnichannel platform with clienteling, POS, virtual consultations, and AI personalization, to enterprise retailers in luxury, beauty, footwear, home, and jewellery verticals across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Technology Software

akta.pro primary industry

Omnichannel Commerce & Click-and-Collect Platforms (BPAMAGAL)

Keywords

• Omnichannel retail platform
• Clienteling software
• Retail point of sale
• In-store analytics
• Virtual consultation tools

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. RetailOS Platform Licensing/Subscription: Red Ant provides its RetailOS platform and suite of retail apps to enterprise clients on a subscription or licensing basis. The platform is sold as an integrated solution including clienteling, assisted sales, omnichannel POS, analytics, and other retail apps, delivered through a consultative enterprise sales process with implementation services.
2. Implementation and Professional Services: Red Ant provides implementation services as part of its retail solution delivery, including auditing existing systems, building roadmaps and business cases, and deploying solutions within weeks using an agile development process.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Red Ant sells RetailOS, a unified omnichannel retail operating system built on a headless, technology-agnostic (MACH-compatible) architecture. The platform combines a suite of integrated retail apps including Clienteling, Assisted Sales, Omnichannel POS, Actionable Analytics (powered by Sisense), SellSmart Machine Learning, Virtual Consultations, and Click & Collect, delivering to enterprise retailers a single colleague hub that connects to their existing in-store and online systems.

Product overview

Red Ant offers RetailOS, a unified omnichannel retail operating system platform that combines multiple modules including Clienteling, Assisted Sales, Omnichannel POS, Actionable Analytics (powered by Sisense), Virtual Consultations, and Click & Collect. The platform is designed for enterprise retailers across sectors including luxury, beauty, footwear, jewellery, and home furnishing. SellSmart Machine Learning provides AI-powered personalization capabilities across the platform, enabling a 35% average increase in secondary purchases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PhilANThropy: Employee volunteering and philanthropy programme that engages with local communities through funding, support and work experience programmes.
• PhilANThropy

Products and services

• RetailOS Unified omnichannel retail operating system platform for enterprise retailers, integrating clienteling, assisted sales, point-of-sale, analytics, virtual consultations, and click & collect into a single headless, technology-agnostic hub that connects to a retailer's existing systems.
• Clienteling Clienteling application giving store associates full access to customer profiles, purchase history, wish lists, and preferences for personalised in-store and at-home VIP treatment.
• Virtual Consultations Video consultation capability enabling store associates to connect with customers at home for personalised one-on-one advice, with two-way video, integrated product recommendations, mutual basket, and remote payment.
• Click & Collect End-to-end fulfilment app with virtual picklists, kerbside pickup, self-service kiosks, GPS integration, and runner services for dark stores, supporting buy online pick up in store and at kerbside.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150% increase in ATV (Average Transaction Value)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• SmythsoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Red Ant partnered with luxury goods brand Smythson to deliver an enhanced in-store experience. Alexandre Oliveira, Smythson's IT Director, commented that clients expect and deserve the best experience, and Hannah Ross, Red Ant's Head of Client Success, highlighted the brand's commitment to excellence. The partnership focuses on elevating the in-store customer journey for Smythson's luxury clientele.
• ScanditcoreTechnology or IntegrationRed Ant partnered with Scandit, a global market leader in smart data capture. The partnership enables store associates to perform advanced barcode scanning, ID scanning for loyalty sign-ups, and data capture tasks using smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, enhancing the in-store retail technology experience.
• Charlotte TilburyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRed Ant partnered with Charlotte Tilbury to deliver shoppable virtual consultations, unlocking beauty brand secrets at home for customers. The partnership won three Retail Systems Awards 2020 including In-store Innovation of the Year, Technology Project of the Year, and High Street Trailblazer. The virtual consultation solution enables store associates to connect with customers at home via integrated video with full access to customer profiles and product details.
• SisensecoreTechnology or IntegrationRed Ant's Actionable Analytics app is powered by Sisense, an embedded analytics platform. This integration provides retail analytics that turns data into actionable intelligence at retailers' fingertips.
• NBK RetailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRed Ant collaborated with retail expert Natalie Berg of NBK Retail on a three-part whitepaper series exploring the Store of the Future, including The Digital Store, The Experiential Store, and The Store as a Fulfilment Hub.
• OnePollminorOthersRed Ant commissioned major OnePoll surveys to gather consumer research, including a survey of 2,000 UK shoppers for the 'Tough Customers' whitepaper on in-store shopping expectations and preferences.
• Heart of the CityminorOthersRed Ant is a member of Heart of the City, an organisation supporting SMEs to develop responsible business programmes that positively impact people, places, and the planet.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Salesfloor: Salesfloor is a clienteling and sales associate enablement platform used by major retailers, very directly comparable to Red Ant's Clienteling and Assisted Sales modules in RetailOS. Both target enterprise retailers with omnichannel associate productivity and personalisation tooling.
• Tulip: Tulip provides a mobile-first retail platform with clienteling, assisted selling, and in-store execution tools on iOS, comparable to Red Ant's mobile-driven approach (including the Halfords smartwatch pilot). Both compete for the same enterprise retail IT budgets.
• NewStore: NewStore offers an omnichannel mobile commerce platform including clienteling, order management, and POS for retail brands, closely overlapping with Red Ant's Omnichannel POS and Click & Collect modules. Both target premium and specialty retailers with omnichannel transformation needs.
• Aptos: Aptos provides retail technology including POS, clienteling, CRM, and omnichannel commerce for specialty and apparel retailers, directly competing with Red Ant's full RetailOS suite. Both sell enterprise SaaS to global retail brands across multiple verticals.
• Mi9 Retail: Mi9 Retail (now part of Aptos) delivers omnichannel POS, clienteling, e-commerce, and order management for specialty retailers, overlapping materially with Red Ant's platform. Both target enterprise retailers seeking unified in-store and digital experiences.
• Kibo Commerce: Kibo Commerce is a unified commerce platform spanning headless e-commerce, OMS, and personalisation, competing with Red Ant on the omnichannel commerce layer. Both target mid-market and enterprise retailers with MACH-aligned architectures.

Broad incumbents

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Salesforce Commerce Cloud is the enterprise commerce incumbent offering end-to-end commerce, marketing, and service, including clienteling-adjacent capabilities. It competes for the same enterprise retail wallet as Red Ant but offers a much broader suite and global sales footprint.
• Shopify Plus: Shopify Plus serves enterprise and upper mid-market retailers with a comprehensive commerce platform including POS and omnichannel tooling. While Red Ant's headless architecture can sit alongside Shopify, Shopify's bundled capabilities compete with Red Ant's POS and clienteling modules.
• Manhattan Active Retail: Manhattan Active Retail is an enterprise retail platform covering POS, OMS, and store inventory, targeting large global retailers. It competes for similar enterprise IT budgets as Red Ant but operates at a much larger scale across more retail verticals.

Emerging players

• Endear: Endear is a clienteling and sales enablement platform targeted at retail brands, with partial overlap to Red Ant's Clienteling app. It focuses on smaller and mid-market retailers and represents an emerging alternative to Red Ant's enterprise clienteling offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Red_Ant
• Facebookfacebook.com/red-ant-28977642329
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/red-ant_65131
• Instagraminstagram.com/redanttech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Red Ant