Computer vision technologies are now increasingly being used by field reps and sales staff to provide highly accurate shelf insights, and as an alternative to manual store audits that can be both costly and prone to human error.
The internet of things (IoT) is invading every sector at a rate of knots and retail is no exception, with these technologies also beginning to provide real-time data for in-store execution.
An example of its use can be seen in cooler systems where IoT cameras, discretely placed behind fridge handles to face the contents, take an image every time a customer opens or closes the door. Images are automatically uploaded via internet-enabled connections and analysed remotely to provide real-time alerts for sales staff when certain products are out of stock, or if a particular brand is being stocked too often and taking the space of other products.