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Have you ever thought about using the Internet of Things in the store? This article will point out 7 IoT applications in small shops that will transform these shops shortly. 

Suppose you go to a spectacle shop to shop. Immediately, your cell phone will sound an alarm to show you the exact location of the glasses you selected online. You will find the glasses on the interior map of the shop on your smartphone, and after the purchase is finalized, you will put them in your bag. At this point, a robot approaches and offers you other products (such as glasses boxes) to buy.

If you want to buy jeans, the robot will suggest the right size. You will leave the store when your purchase is complete. Special sensors scan the items in your bag, an invoice is issued to you, and the amount is automatically deducted from your account. Of course, there is a discount because you bought this store a few days ago! As the jeans fall off the smart shelf, the shelf sends the relevant information to the shop owner so that the shopkeeper can re-supply the required items.

It sounds like a smart home, right? Thanks to the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT), such an experience is not far off, and we will see such a day soon! The Internet of Things. Creates a fully intertwined network of Internet-connected devices. In the coming years, the number of devices connected to the Internet will grow rapidly. More precisely, by 2020, we will have more than 30 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things.

Look at the IoT from another angle in the store.

The story above was the buyer experience of an IoT retailer; We need to look at this story from retailers’ perspectives. McKinsey estimates that by 2025, the economic potential of the Internet of Things in retail will be between $ 410 billion and $ 1.2 trillion annually.

In-store IoT reduces product listing errors, optimizes supply chain management, and reduces workforce costs. The IoT transforms your simple brick shop into an up-to-date, world-class store by reducing unnecessary costs and improving the shopping experience.

The use of the Internet of Things in stores is very high. In the following, we will review 7 of the most important applications of IoT in this field.

IoT application in the store

1- Online and automatic payment

You may have stopped shopping because of the busy billing and billing queues in stores. On the other hand, it is not economical for shop owners to use more staff. Using the automatic checkout system (Checkout System), an invoice is issued to the customer when the products leave using tags on the products. This system connects to the customer’s mobile payment application and receives the invoice amount from him.

Implementing an automated cash register system creates a great customer experience, especially if the customer is in a hurry. McKinsey estimates that using the system will reduce cashier recruitment costs by up to 75 percent, and by 2025, between $ 150 billion and $ 380 billion will be saved annually.

2- Personalized discounts

Many shopkeepers want to give their regular customers a good discount because of their loyalty to keep them interested in buying. By using the Internet of Things in the store and installing sensors throughout the store, you can send special discounts to each customer on his smartphone; The customer, standing next to each product, sees the price and discount of that product on his smart device.

You can also analyze customer behavior on your website and identify their favorite products; Then, when the customer is in the store, send him discounts commensurate with those products. For example, if someone on your site sees information about a particular shoe and comes to the store and receives a discount on that shoe, they are more likely to purchase it. Therefore, you can increase the conversion rate by using the Internet of Things. 

Identifying the use of the Internet of Things in everyday life requires creativity and foresight, But using IoT in stores helps you build loyal customers in the long run.

3- Beacons

Apple first introduced bacon in 2013. Baconers are small Bluetooth-enabled devices that send alerts to nearby smart devices. Therefore, if customers have installed your store app, they will be notified of all discounts, special events, etc., bypassing by your store.

Bacon can also identify where you are in the shop and make suggestions accordingly. For example, if you are in the cosmetics department, your favorite cosmetics brands will be reminded, and discounts will be offered.

4- Smart shelves

Much of a store employee’s energy is spent checking shelves for defects. Employees also have to spend a lot of time arranging the location of different products. Using smart shelves makes these two tasks very easy; Also, possible theft from the store is quickly detected.

The smart shelf is equipped with weight detection sensors, RFID tags, and product identification eyes. The smart shelf notifies you when a product is in the wrong place, or a shelf is emptying.

5- Optimizing the layout of the shop – Internet of Things in the store

Is the layout of your shop optimal for the passage of customers? In front of the shelves may be products that the buyer does not have much of, or there may be little space for a part of the shop to pass. The optimal layout can be found by using IoT sensors and analyzing shop corridors! And with IoT, you can make the most of your storage space.

Using store space analysis, for example, you find that your customers spend a lot of time in front of the TV in the store, but the TV is not installed in an optimal place. Therefore, you should try to change the location of the TV so that it works best for you.

6- Robot staff – Internet of Things in the store

Although using robots to guide and serve customers may be a little daunting; However, this is a great opportunity to reduce the heavy labor costs. The OSHbot robot helps customers find the products they want. The robot also assists the store owner in advertising and cataloging. This robot can speak both English and Spanish. Instead of using a smart shelf, you can use robots that move around the store and provide the shop owner with a list of products needed for supply.

7- Supply chain management optimization – Internet of Things in the store

However, shop owners can track products to some extent without using the Internet of Things; However, with RFID and GPS sensors, you can get more accurate information, such as ambient temperature or transit time. Using this accurate information, you monitor the transfer process of goods and prevent damage to the product (in case of abnormal temperature). Manufacturers of IoT devices grew 28.5 percent in 2014 compared to the previous year, according to Business Insider . If there are many links in your supply chain, such as suppliers, truck drivers, dealers, etc., you need to optimize your supply chain by monitoring the cycle that the product goes through.