INTELLIGENT MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

Says Mark Thomson , Retail Strategy Director , Zebra Technologies , “ Retailers have battled through inflation , a rise in theft , mixed holiday sales , and supply chain disruptions while inventory management and labour issues remain . Our Modern Store framework can have influence , as it is already doing for retailers across the world .” Zebra ’ s Modern Store framework , and the solutions behind it , have been proven to help retailers reduce product waste shrink by 27 % and achieve 98 % inventory accuracy . Some retailers have reduced employee turnover by 8 % and secured a 95 % ontime task completion rate , improving store productivity during these challenging times .

Zebra ’ s Global Shopper Study revealed that 85 % of retail decision-makers think AI will enhance retail operations , while 69 % of shoppers think AI will improve their shopping experience .

According to Zebra ’ s Global Shopper Study 2023 , retail decision-makers say real-time visibility of out-of-stocks , 84 %, minimising fraud and shrinkage , 82 % and online order returns , 81 % are among their most urgent inventory challenges . The

European Alliance for Safe Retail found the cost of retail crime in the European Union increased by 13 % in 2022 , to € 16.6 billion , the highest figure since the study began in 2015 .

Zebra Workcloud suite of software applications enabling front-line workers to better optimise labour decisions , streamline communication and improve inventory management . Zebra Workforce Optimisation suite is designed to digitise and streamline task management , scheduling , and timekeeping , while Zebra Workcloud Inventory Optimisation suite enables retailers to conduct accurate , quality inventory counts , detect sales and inventory anomalies with prescriptive analytics using AI .

The new WS50 Powered by Workcloud , the industry ’ s first wrist and clip wearable enterprise-class Android touch computer , features Voice AI Assistant , Workcloud Communication and Workcloud Task Manager to better connect retail workers . Zebra Device Tracker is now offered for the WS50 , ensuring a device can be located whether it is on or off , minimising the time and cost of lost devices and driving productivity for retailers .

The next generation PS30 Personal Shopper enables retailers to provide a transformative , low-friction and personalised in-store shopping experience . Its enhanced location sensor data enables retailers to send consumers personalised

Mark Thomson , Retail Strategy Director , Zebra Technologies

offers and provide retailers with shopper insights which can be leveraged to improve store operations . The PS30 supports tapto-pay , allowing shoppers to complete a purchase right from the cart , alongside Zebra devices compatible with Apple VAS and Google Smart Tap .

The MP72 Series multi-plane scanner has vision-based software and an enhanced colour camera that recognizes produce as it is scanned . The new MP72 saves consumers time from guessing items or requiring help , simultaneously minimising fraud and shrink risks for retailers .

A number of solutions for back-of-store operations , including intelligent cabinets , linerless printers for more sustainable label printing , and advanced packing bench solutions with Zebra ’ s fixed industrial scanning systems . •

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