Computer vision (CV) can be called the “eyes” of artificial intelligence (AI). It is revolutionizing almost every sector in the world, including retail. As more organizations recognize the potential of computer vision, they are investing more in improving their computer vision capabilities. The global computer vision market is projected to grow more than 300% to $41 billion by 2030.
See the top use cases of computer vision in retail to help business leaders make better decisions.
1. Improving store layout
With in-store computer vision-enabled cameras, retail store managers can track customers’ movements to identify patterns and repetitive behavior. This information can be used to mark hot areas and place relevant products to improve sales.
Through computer vision, retail store managers can gather information such as:
- Which area of the store has the most traffic?
- The average time a customer takes to complete a purchase
- Is the time of day associated with product purchase?
- Which products have the highest put-backs?
Example:
Samsung uses computer vision to track customer movement in its retail stores.
If you are a CPG (consumer packaged goods) producer and want to work with a service provider to manage the retail end of your supply chain. Here is a list of services that offer retail and planogram audits.
2. Inventory management
Computer vision is being used to improve efficiency in omnichannel retail systems. Smart cameras and sensor systems track inventory levels and products on shelves in real time.
For example, Sam’s Club, an American retail company, uses inventory scanning robots to track and share information on inventory levels, price accuracy, product location, etc.
3. Automated stores
The increasing trend towards customer service automation also leads to greater use of computer vision systems for automated checkout systems in retail stores.
Computer vision systems enable in-store cameras and sensors to track products, shelves, and customers accurately. Based on CV and AI, the system automatically charges the customer for the marked products upon their exit from the store.
Example:
Amazon Go is an excellent example of automated or cashier-less retail stores. These automated walkout stores are being considered the future of the convenience store market, and according to Forbes, they will revolutionize the retail sector. The stores use computer vision and AI technology to fully automate customer checkouts.
Similarly, an autonomous convenience store at San José State University uses AI and computer vision without facial recognition to ensure higher customer privacy and faster checkouts.
Check our article on hyperautomation in retail for more examples.
4. Retail theft prevention
Computer vision systems also help prevent shoplifting by tracking each product and the customer’s behavior.
Example:
Vaak Eye is a shoplifting prevention system based on computer vision. It is installed with retail store cameras and observes customer behavior to identify potential shoplifting activities.
Walmart is also using AI-enabled surveillance cameras to eliminate shoplifting from its stores:
5. Smartphones for barcode scanning
Computer vision-enabled smartphone apps are also being used in the retail sector. One of the most important applications is obtaining product information, such as product reviews and detailed information, in brick-and-mortar stores, which is normally available online.
Similarly, computer vision-enabled smartphone applications can perform tasks such as counting inventory and searching for products.
Example:
Samsung devices provide similar solutions based on computer vision and AR to improve retail operations and customer experience.
To find the option that best suits your annotation needs, you can also check our sortable and filterable list of:
- Data Annotation / Labelling / Tagging / Classification Service
- Video Annotation Tools
- Medical Image Annotation Tool
- Image Recognition Software
Further reading
- Computer Vision in-Depth Guide
- Top 7 Computer Vision Use Cases in Healthcare
- Data Annotation: What it is, Why it matters, and Implementations
If you have any questions regarding computer vision in retail, please don’t hesitate to reach out:
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