Retail Intelligence, what is it?

The retail industry looks primed to have a decade full of innovation and creativity while striving to create a seamless shopping experience. Increased footfall and brand recall will remain the goal but the methods used to achieve this are set to change over the next decade. Retail Intelligence, like the Internet of Things, is a technology that will have a huge say in where the retail world is headed with smart shelves, digital signage, video cameras and beacons providing access to huge amounts of new data on customer activity.

Retail Intelligence is the set of tools and applications focused on the creation and management of knowledge through the recollection, processing, interaction, and analysis of information generated in all operations performed by any retailer.

Benefits of retail intelligence

With the help of the latest technologies, we can gain a better understanding of shoppers’ buying habits like where they are going, what they are purchasing, their purchase history etc. Retail Intelligence provides opportunities for sophisticated insights and immersive customer engagement. Using retail intelligence, retailers can be provided with answers for the below questions:

• Is our sales being lost due to poor staff-to-customer ratios?
• What percentage of visitors are leaving stores and shopping centers without purchase?
• How many visitors are first-timers, and how many are repeat/loyal customers?

The two biggest technologies in an era witnessing a transformation in the domain of retail intelligence so that retailers can achieve the desired results and boost their business every year are: 

1. Artificial Intelligence
2. Deep learning 

Artificial Intelligence in retail

A powerful new digital technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI learns from data and enables complex processes to be automated independent of human intervention making them faster, more efficient and less prone to errors. With an ability to identify patterns and detect anomalies in digital information studying new insights and possibilities, AI is transforming many industries in the business world by automating manual tasks. 

Deep Learning in retail

Retailers are making use of deep learning to analyze data from both, in-store and digital, through sensor and video analysis. In this way, they are now enabled to deliver a more enhanced and customized customer experience as well as integrating brick and mortar activities into the digital world. Consumer expectations are transforming the retail landscape but as your consumer lives more of their lives in the online world, how can you make sure your brand stands out?

Now when consumers are looking for that perfect item you can use technologies like AI and deep learning to speak directly to them pushing personalized offers based on their preferences to get them in the store. Mobile and GPS enabled environments to create an engaging experience that actually helps shoppers find what they’re looking for and gives them a reason to purchase. Today’s consumers expect more from a physical environment and captivating technologies like immersive mirrors can go a long way with such tech-savvy and technologically intelligent consumers.