Owners of retail networks and individual outlets are actively looking for ways to use robots. The aim is not only to save on costs associated with wages but also to create a unique experience for buyers. Novelty is one of the areas of competition, including with online shopping. In Japan, Pepper robots will advise customers in one of the retail stores of the mobile operator Softbank.
So far, robot-sellers are often capable of a little, for example, to tell the buyer exactly where this or that thing is on store shelves. Assistant sellers and consultants, for example, on the Pepper platform, are able to recommend a jacket or dress to the customer. The robot is ready to help customers get any information without leaving the store. In the field of trade in food, robots answer questions about the origin and composition of a product.
The robot OSHbot, the development of Lowe’s Innovation Labs and Fellow Robots, helps with finding products in stores. It is enough to ask the robot about the location of a product or to show a sample and OSHbot will suggest following it to the location of the goods.
Cellular communication operator Beeline used the promo-robot Alantim for marketing purposes. It was developed in Perm, Russia. Branded in operator colors, the robot periodically appears in the company’s retail stores in Moscow.
In addition to using robots-promoters and robots-informers, there are other attempts at robotization in trade.
Robot Tally, Simbe Robotics, USA, is ready to take stock of inventories and inventory in retail networks. In case if the machine finds a deficit of a certain product on the shelves or the desired product is in the wrong place, it will notify the store personnel.
High technology will affect fitting rooms. Nordstrom and Intel are testing a scanner that will help create a 3-D client footprint model. Levi stores will have buttons that allow consumers to order a jacket of a different color or size. In the US, these innovations will become a trend even before the end of this year.
In Russia, the robotization of trade has affected, for example, pharmacies. Back in 2006, the Samson-Pharma network first installed the German robot Consis B2 manufactured by Willach in the pharmacy № 7 on B.Lubyanka street. In 2008 Consis B3 appeared in Primorsky Regional Pharmacy, Vladivostok, in 2011 B2 was purchased in the city of Abakan, the Republic of Khakassia. Pharmacy robots are used in the networks “Evalar” and “Your Health” in Moscow, in “Rigla”, Yekaterinburg. Automated pharmacists are also found in St. Petersburg. In addition to robots Willach there are other pharmacy robots, for example, M5000 American company MTS Medication Technologies.
Demand for sellers starts changing in Russia as well
Perhaps in 10 years, robots will work mostly in the trade, but so far retail remains the main employer in the country (Russia). The main demand for personnel is formed by food networks. Retail trade does not make particularly high demands on employees, it is ready to work with young people and those who do not have experience.
Already today there has been a demand for universal specialists. Employers are less willing to see in the team of specialists who are able to perform well only a narrow range of responsibilities. For example, it is no longer enough to be just an advertising manager and work exclusively on brand recognition or on increasing sales. Advertisers need flexibility and ability to work not only offline, but also online, to be responsible for the marketing policy of the company in social networks, to work with comments and feedback. Or, for example, merchandisers need not only work with the assortment on the shelves but also work with customers.
And as for now, the most popular vacancy in the trade remains the seller. At the same time, the requirements for a person get higher and higher. Their duties include advising clients, placing goods, working at the checkout, setting up price tags, inventorying. With regard to the requirements for job seekers, among them is activity, communication skills, diligence, non-conflict, responsibility. The very same applicants want to work closer to home, have the opportunity for career growth and decent pay.
In other countries the situation is different. Robotization of the retail industry is developing very fast.
A new trend
There is no doubt that the robotization of stores is a trend that will gradually change the familiar image of retail trade. It is unlikely that all sellers already have to worry about the dismissal, but in general, the course to reduce the “living” staff, certainly affect retailers. Anyway, buyers will get only benefits from this changing.
The Cube
EiraCube is a fully robotic store with a turnkey physical human-free storefront and has rapid onboarding. The cube dimensions are 6 meters by 3 meters (18m2) on average, although a tailor-made form can be built to comply with the requirements of a location.
The cube hosts twelve SKUs and may stock 200 to 2000 product items in its inventory. The number of items stocked depends on their size. The merchants’ advertising content is communicated via twelve Full HD 22” screens located on each shelf and two 65” pure digital signage screens set at both ends of the shop.
The IAM Robotics
IAM Robotics is intended to be one of the best performing, most efficient and safe automated guided vehicle robots on the market. Its key functionality will be to bring selected units of inventory to the collection station to fulfill a customer’s order.
