Retail Asia 2018 RA AUG2018_Online | Page 9

Robots are making a timely appearance in the retail landscape as businesses today face pressure from multiple angles. human and robots fighting shoulder- to-shoulder together. Its renowned smart warehouse is laden with sensor- charged robots who perform 70% of tasks and can each carry up to 500kg of goods. Its competitor, JD.com, has als o started using robots for the transportation of goods. Using robots has reduced JD’s unit delivery cost by 80% and its fully automated sorting centre handles 9,000 online shopping orders per hour, an operation normally performed by 180 human sorters. Alibaba and JD are testament to the idea that robotics can add value to shoppers by reducing delivery costs and speeding up logistical processes, even if they never meet them. Assisting the frontline of robots is a pivotal component of Walmart’s plan to boost efficiency and accessibility of shoppers. Adding value for shoppers and staff Robots are making a timely appearance in the retail landscape as businesses today face pressure from multiple angles. Besides facing intense competition, they are also having to cater to a business environment that is being turned topsy-turvy as e-commerce grows. Consumer preference is also going through rapid transformation as shoppers become accustomed to e-commerce experiences that allow for cross-sites comparison, extremely competitive prices and the convenience of shopping anytime, anywhere as they are connected through a computer or a mobile device. The retail industry stands to gain as a whole with the entrance of robotics technology. Robots are being deployed, in e-commerce businesses and bricks- and-mortar establishments, to enhance efficiency and strengthen logistical and operational functions. Indirectly, this should translate to improvement in service levels and shopping experiences, and perhaps even lower costs. Workers in the retail industry too stand to benefit as robots can take on menial, mundane or dangerous tasks, freeing them up for knowledge-driven work. ra Robots can take on frontline, customer-facing roles too. As artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities grow, robots are emerging from beyond behind-the-scenes operations. Retailers have started to accommodate in-store robot assistants, able to direct traffic and perform important roles such as inventory management, freeing staff to handle more complex tasks. One such retailer is Walmart, which has installed robots in 50 of its stores across the US. These robots cruise along supermarket aisles checking shelves for items that need to be restocked, as well as merchandise that are misplaced or incorrectly priced. This vital information is then communicated to store staff who take necessary action. Equipped with cameras, these robots scan shelves three times faster than humans and are more accurate in picking irregularities. As artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities grow, robots are emerging from beyond behind-the-scenes operations. The engagement A USTRALIA Harry Black H Black & Associates Pty Ltd Tower House, 148 High Street, Ashburton, Victoria, 3147 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] H ONG K ONG Godfrey Wu MHI Limited 1305 CC Wu Building, 302-308 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong SAR Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]v8 E-mail: [email protected] C HINA Mary Yao MHI China Ltd Room 971 Poly Plaza, 14 South Dongzhimen Street, Beijing 100027 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] I NDIA JS Malhotra MRI Global Media Network Annex II & III, 1/16, West Patel Nagar, New Delhi – 110 008 (India) Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] I TALY Tiziana Vailati Studio P R B Di Tiziana Vailati Via Vittorio Emanuelle II, 52, I-20052 Monza Mi Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] J APAN Mikio Tsuchiya World Media Services Inc 3-35-1-302, Hongodai, Sakae-Ku, Yokohama 247 0008, Japan Tel/Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] S OUTH K OREA Edward YB Jeon Storm Associates Inc 4F, Deok Woo Bldg, 292-7, SungSan-Dong, MaPo-Ku, Seoul Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] T AIWAN Virginia Lee Spacemark Media Services 2/F, No. 22-18 Chang An East Road, Section 1 Taipei Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] U NITED K INGDOM Patricia Corbett Greg Corbett Associates Ltd 6th Floor, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0AU, England Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.gca-international.co.uk For all other advertising enquiries, contact [email protected] Retail Asia August 2018 7