Whether it is retail therapy, weekly grocery runs or buying a gift for a loved one to celebrate a special occasion, shopping is an integral part of our lives.
The retail landscape has evolved and consumers today are blessed with a plethora of options now that they have access to always-connected devices and technologies like augmented reality that seek to enable more efficient purchasing decisions.
Alibaba Group’s ‘New Retail’ strategy is one example of how retailers are changing their approach in order to succeed in this new landscape. It is taking an omni-channel retail strategy to connect online shopping with brick-and-mortar experiences through technology and big data. While consumers walk through physical aisles of a supermarket or browse online catalogues, it is easy to overlook a vital and emerging component of the retail landscape today – robots.
Robotics play a crucial role in cultivating a holistic retail experience for consumers in ways that are sometimes not even seen or thought of before. In warehouses, robots boost productivity and speed up the dissemination of goods to stores and customers. Robots have also been drafted in stores, ready to serve customers with efficient inventory management. As the role of robotics in retail advances, we will see the same increase in speed and efficiency apply to the shopping experience as it has for industrial applications.
WAREHOUSES AND DELIVERY, HARDWIRED FOR EFFICIENCY
This story is from the August 2018 edition of SME Magazine Singapore.
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This story is from the August 2018 edition of SME Magazine Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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