Sensors are offering unimaginable benefits by streamlining operations in the retail industry. 

FREMONT, CA: To stay competitive and improve customer experience, retailers demand real-time information on product availability and consumption. To get the answers they need, retailers are adopting sensor technology that collects and share data throughout the supply chain and along consumer touchpoints. Replacing manual checks, sensors are more cost-effective and accurate in the retail environment. Here are some critical applications of sensor technology in retailing.

• Automated Check-Out

Commonly, long lines in retail stores will deter customers from purchasing products. And as a retail shop manager, it is unprofitable to pay multiple employees to work during busier shopping times. With sensor technology, retailers can set up a system to read tags on each item when a customer leaves the store. A check out system would then tally the items up and automatically deduce that cost from the customers’ mobile payment app. This would make the customer happier and more willing to enter the store, especially when they are on time crunch. Automated check-outs can also save retailers time and money.

• Smart Shelves and Layout Optimization

A lot of the employees’ time and energy is focused on keeping track of items to ensure they are never out-of-stock, and checking that items are not misplaced. Retailers can use smart shelves to automate both of these tasks while simultaneously detecting theft. Smart shelves are deployed with weight sensors, and they use RFID tags and readers to scan the products on both display and stock shelves. Smart shelves can also inform retailers when items are running low or when items are incorrectly placed, which makes inventory process cost-effective and precise. Layout optimization is essential for retail stores. By employing aisle-analytics software with infrared sensors, retailers can use IoT technology to improve the in-store layout.

While retail stores can already track products without the help of IoT, but that tracking information is limited. With RFID and GPS sensors, retailers can use IoT to obtain more precise data, like the temperature at which an item is being stored, or how long it spent in transit. Retailers can use that data to improve the quality of transportation and to act in real-time to avoid a substantial inventory loss.

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