Not only can Tally improve inventory management, but it can also affect the shopper experience, found a recent survey. Source: Simbe Robotics
Simbe Robotics Inc. today announced its expansion into Turkey with partner CarrefourSA. The companies will deploy Simbe’s Store Intelligence inventory management systems.
A growing number of retailers are investing in technology and data to enhance the shopping experience, improve team satisfaction, and increase revenue, noted Simbe. The South San Francisco-based company added that new research has found that over three out of four shoppers view in-store robots positively.
Simbe said its Store Intelligence platform combines computer vision, artificial intelligence, and the Tally autonomous scanning robot. By giving retailers near real-time visibility into store and shelf conditions, digitalization provides them new opportunities to capture market share, it claimed.
Simbe grows deployments with partners
Simbe’s partnership with CarrefourSA followed new and expanded deployments at Wakefern, Northeast Grocery, Tops Friendly Markets, SpartanNash, and BJs Wholesale Club.
The Carrefour Group opened its first market in Turkey in 1993. In 1996, due to the partnership between Sabancı Holding, it was renamed as CarrefourSA. The company continues to operate retail stores and has launched the “Lezzet Arası” restaurants and a “dealership” system to support local entrepreneurs.
CarrefourSA deployed Tally into select Turkish stores this summer, adding a new country to Simbe’s three-continent roster. The mobile robot scans shelves to ensure items are stocked and tagged properly, so CarrefourSA team members can focus on providing a better shopping experience, said the partners.
Simbe asserted that leading retailers around the world – as well as Fortune 500 companies yet to be announced – have realized substantial returns on investment (ROI) and transformed their businesses by using its technology.
The company received a 2024 RBR Robotics Innovation Award for its partnership with BJ’s Wholesale Club, which is integrating Tally in all 237 of its U.S. stores.
Shoppers say they prefer stores that use robots
Today’s top frustrations for shoppers are inconsistent pricing, confusing promotions, and low or out-of-stock inventory, found the study. This can lead to dissatisfaction and a lack of trust, but a majority of 400 U.S. shoppers surveyed said they have positive feelings toward in-store robots.
Inventory robots, which help keep shelves fully stocked with the right products at the right price, can alleviate common pain points, according to Simbe. They can also improve the shopping experience and help differentiate a retailer, the company said.
The study, which was conducted by Diagnostic Measurement Group, also reported that:
- Only 4% of shoppers said they view retail robots in a negative light. The majority (77%) of shoppers view in-store robots positively, and nearly all shoppers (96%) have a positive or neutral attitude.
- Most shoppers view retailers with in-store robots as innovative (84%) and as growing companies (80%) that are investing in the customer experience (76%).
- Most of the survey respondents said they believe robots will improve the accuracy of on-shelf labeling (72%) and ensure that the products they want are available on shelf (69%).
- Shopper positivity remained constant across repeated exposure to in-store retail robots. All (100%) of the respondents who liked seeing a robot one time felt the same way at three or more times.
- Frequent shoppers feel even more positive about robots, liking in-store robots 29% more than infrequent shoppers.
- Most consumers (61%) are more likely to shop at retailers who have in-store robots.
- The above trends are likely to expand, as younger consumers are most favorable to in-store retail robots.
“At the beginning of 2024, IGD predicted that retailers will focus on computer vision, automation, robotics and AI to drive productivity and reduce costs,” stated Toby Pickard, retail futures senior partner at the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).
“The number of retailers across geographies that are now leveraging Simbe’s technology is a great example of IGD’s prediction coming to fruition,” he added. “Regarding the recent survey of U.S. shoppers, the findings align with what I’ve previously heard from CEOs and store managers, who have told me how Tally is helping drive footfall to their stores as the robot brings joy and excitement to shoppers, especially those with children.”
“As the benefits of automation, computer vision, robotics, and AI continue to become more apparent – from improving e-commerce pick rates to ensuring planogram compliance and enabling virtual store tours – I expect we will see more and more retailers implementing such technology to ensure they remain operationally efficient and offer the best service to shoppers,” said Pickard.
Simbe is hosting a webinar on Oct. 2 at 12:00 p.m. PST – “What Retail Shoppers Think of In-Store Robots” – to discuss the survey findings in greater depth.
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