Can Robots Improve Shopping?
September 2, 2019
This article is based on a story originally published in It Is Innovation (i3) magazine, published by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®.
From humanoid robots that greet shoppers to robots that sort and scan new inventory in the warehouse, retailers are looking for ways to deliver the best in-store experience.
In-Store Customer Service
Retailers are trying out robots to engage with customers in stores, and so far the robots are being used to do the following:
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Give directions and help customers find merchandise using GPS navigation.
Answer questions and look up product information.
Hand out samples.
Store Management
By freeing up staff from tasks that can be automated, retailers are giving them more time to assist shoppers. Robots are being used to help with more mundane tasks like the following:
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Manage inventory.
Restock shelves.
Address worker shortages.
Moving Inventory
Retailers face pressure for supply chains to perform flawlessly, efficiently and transparently, and they’re exploring how robots can help automate the ecosystem. Some of the largest U.S. retailers are using robots in their warehouses for the following:
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Order fulfillment.
Scan and sort items.
Retrieve requested inventory.
Looking ahead, teamwork between robots and humans will help retailers cut costs while increasing traffic and driving sales in stores.
Dive deeper with case studies by reading "Robots Transforming Retail" in i3 magazine.
