Applications of Edge Computing for IoT in the Retail Trade

Overview

Retail trade involves the sale of goods or services from a business directly to the end-user or consumer, typically in small quantities. It’s the final step in the distribution chain where products are sold to individuals for personal use, rather than for resale or further processing. This sector encompasses a wide range of businesses, from local corner shops to large department stores, online retailers, and everything in between. Retailers play a crucial role in the economy by providing consumers with access to goods and services they need or desire.

Depending on specific features and functions, GAO Tek’s Edge Computing for IoT is sometimes referred to as Fog Computing, Edge Analytics, Edge Intelligence, Edge Processing, Decentralized Computing, Distributed Edge Computing, Near-edge Computing, Localized Computing, Edge Cloud, and Intelligent Edge.

GAO Tek’s Edge Computing for IoT has the following applications in the Retail Trade:

Real-time inventory management: GAO’s edge devices collect data from RFID tags, sensors, and cameras strategically placed throughout retail stores. By processing this data locally, our systems provide real-time insights into inventory levels, mitigating stockouts and streamlining restocking processes.
Personalized shopping experiences: Through the analysis of customer data gathered from IoT devices like beacons and smartphones, our edge computing solutions empower retailers to deliver personalized recommendations and promotions in real-time, enriching the in-store shopping journey for customers.
Enhanced security: GAO’s edge computing capabilities enable the real-time processing of video feeds from surveillance cameras, swiftly detecting suspicious activities or theft. This proactive approach improves security in retail establishments, safeguarding against loss due to theft or vandalism.
Optimized energy management: Utilizing IoT sensors, GAO’s solutions monitor energy usage in retail spaces, including lighting, heating, and cooling systems. By analyzing this data locally, our edge computing systems identify opportunities for energy savings and automatically adjust settings to optimize efficiency, reducing operational costs for retailers.
Improved customer service: GAO’s edge computing technology powers interactive kiosks and digital signage in retail stores, delivering valuable information about products, promotions, and store layouts to customers. With local data processing capabilities, our systems respond swiftly to customer inquiries, providing a seamless and engaging shopping experience.
Faster checkout processes: GAO’s edge computing solutions facilitate the deployment of self-checkout systems that process transactions locally, minimizing reliance on centralized servers. This speeds up the checkout process for customers, improving overall operational efficiency and satisfaction.

More information on Edge computing for IoT and their applications in other industries can be found on this page

Edge Computing for IoT

This category page lists related products

IoT

Systems in Retail Trade Utilizing Edge Computing for IoT

Here are some popular systems in Retail Trade using Edge computing for IoT:

Inventory Management System:

Description: This system utilizes IoT sensors and RFID technology to track inventory levels in real-time, enabling retailers to optimize stock management and reduce out-of-stock situations.
Software: Microsoft Azure IoT Edge, IBM Watson IoT Platform

Customer Analytics System:

Description: By collecting and analyzing data from IoT devices such as beacons and cameras, this system provides insights into customer behavior, preferences, and foot traffic patterns within retail stores.
Software: Google Cloud IoT Core, AWS IoT Analytics

Smart Shelf System:

Description: IoT-enabled smart shelves equipped with weight sensors and RFID readers monitor product movement and stock levels. Edge computing processes data locally to trigger automatic restocking alerts and optimize shelf space.
Software: Oracle Retail Xstore Point-of-Service, SAP Leonardo IoT

Dynamic Pricing System:

Description: This system adjusts product prices in real-time based on factors such as demand, inventory levels, competitor pricing, and customer demographics. Edge computing processes data from various sources to dynamically update prices both in-store and online.
Software: Revionics Price Optimization, Blue Yonder Luminate Pricing

Supply Chain Optimization System:

Description: IoT sensors embedded in transportation vehicles and warehouses track the movement of goods throughout the supply chain. Edge computing analyzes this data to optimize logistics, reduce delivery times, and minimize costs.
Software: SAP Integrated Business Planning, JDA Luminate Control Tower

Security and Loss Prevention System:

Description: Surveillance cameras equipped with edge computing capabilities analyze video feeds in real-time to detect suspicious activities, theft, or unauthorized access. This system enhances security in retail stores and warehouses.
Software: Cisco Meraki MV, Verkada Command

Interactive Customer Engagement System:

Description: Touchscreen kiosks and digital signage powered by edge computing provide customers with personalized product recommendations, promotions, and interactive experiences while in-store.
Software: Scala Digital Signage, Intelity Guest Experience Management

Energy Management System:

Description: IoT sensors monitor energy consumption of lighting, HVAC systems, and appliances in retail stores. Edge computing analyzes this data to optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact.
Software: Schneider Electric EcoStruxure, Honeywell Forge Energy Optimization

GAO Tek’s targeted markets are North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada.

Complying with Government Regulations

GAO Tek’s Edge computing for IoT complies or helps our clients comply with U.S. regulations such as:

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Guidelines
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guidelines
State Data Breach Notification Laws

GAO Tek’s Edge computing for IoT complies or helps our clients comply with the Canadian regulations such as:

Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
Digital Privacy Act
Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) Guidelines
Canada’s National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Guidelines
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standards

Case Studies of Edge Computing for IoT in Environmental Monitoring

Edge computing for IoT is sometimes called Fog Computing, Edge Analytics, Edge Intelligence, Edge Processing, Decentralized Computing, Distributed Edge Computing, Near-edge Computing, Localized Computing, Edge Cloud, and Intelligent Edge.

Here are some practical examples of using Edge Computing for IoT in Retail Trade:

Retail Analytics Optimization: A major retail chain in New York deployed edge computing combined with IoT sensors to optimize store layouts and product placements. By analyzing customer movement patterns and product interactions in real-time, the retailer improved sales performance and enhanced customer experiences.
Inventory Management Enhancement: A grocery store chain in Massachusetts implemented edge computing solutions to enhance inventory management. By leveraging IoT devices equipped with edge processing capabilities, the retailer achieved real-time inventory tracking, reducing stockouts and minimizing overstocking, leading to improved efficiency and cost savings.
Smart Shelf Implementation: A retail store in Illinois deployed edge computing-enabled smart shelves equipped with IoT sensors to monitor product inventory levels and customer interactions. By analyzing data at the edge, the retailer optimized shelf stocking processes, reduced labor costs, and improved customer satisfaction through timely restocking of popular items.
Customer Engagement Enhancement: A fashion retailer in Ohio utilized edge computing and IoT devices to enhance customer engagement. By deploying interactive digital signage powered by edge processing, the retailer delivered personalized product recommendations and promotions based on customer preferences and browsing history, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty.
Loss Prevention Solution: A chain of convenience stores in Florida implemented edge computing for IoT-based loss prevention. By deploying surveillance cameras with edge processing capabilities, the retailer could detect and respond to suspicious activities in real-time, reducing theft and shrinkage, and improving overall store security.
Energy Management Optimization: A retail mall in Texas deployed edge computing solutions to optimize energy management. By integrating IoT sensors with edge processing capabilities, the mall achieved real-time monitoring and control of lighting, HVAC systems, and other energy-consuming devices, resulting in significant energy savings and reduced operational costs.
Real-time Pricing Optimization: A department store chain in California leveraged edge computing and IoT devices to implement real-time pricing optimization. By analyzing competitor pricing, inventory levels, and customer demand data at the edge, the retailer dynamically adjusted prices to maximize revenue and maintain competitiveness in the market.
Queue Management System: A grocery retailer in Washington State deployed edge computing for IoT-based queue management. By integrating IoT sensors with edge processing capabilities, the retailer monitored and analyzed customer queue lengths in real-time, optimizing staffing levels and improving customer wait times, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Supply Chain Visibility: A Canadian retail conglomerate implemented edge computing and IoT devices to enhance supply chain visibility. By deploying sensors and edge processing capabilities across its distribution network, the retailer gained real-time insights into inventory levels, shipment statuses, and delivery routes, improving supply chain efficiency and reducing costs.
Personalized Marketing Campaigns: A national pharmacy chain in Canada utilized edge computing and IoT devices to deliver personalized marketing campaigns. By analyzing customer data at the edge, including purchase history and demographic information, the retailer sent targeted promotions and offers to customers’ mobile devices while they were in-store, driving increased sales and customer engagement.

GAO RFID Inc. RFID Hardware, a sister company of GAO Tek Inc., is ranked as a top 10 RFID suppliers in the world. Its RFID, BLE, and IoT products have also been widely used in the Retail Trade industry.

Retail Trade and Rental Industry

Supply Chain & Logistics

Use of Edge Computing for IoT with Leading Software and Cloud Services in the Retail Trade

GAO Tek has used or has facilitated its customers to use GAO’s Edge Computing for IoT with some of the leading software and cloud services in their applications. Examples of such leading software and cloud services include:

Microsoft Azure IoT Edge
AWS IoT Greengrass
Google Cloud IoT Edge
IBM Edge Application Manager
Cisco Kinetic for Retail
HPE Edgeline IoT Systems
Dell Technologies Edge Solutions
Intel IoT Edge
Verizon IoT Edge
NVIDIA EGX Platform

GAO Tek’s Edge Computing for IoT and their applications in other industries are listed on this page,

Edge Computing for IoT

Other related products can be found on this category page

IoT

Meeting Customers’ Demands

Large Choice of Products

To satisfy the diversified needs of their corporate customers, GAO Tek Inc. and its sister company GAO RFID Inc. together offer a wide choice of testing and measurement devices, network products, RFID, BLE, IoT, and drones.

Fast Delivery

To shorten the delivery to our customers, GAO has maintained a large stock of its products and can ship overnight within the continental U.S. and Canada from the nearest warehouse.

Local to Our Customers

We are in both the U.S. and Canada. We travel to customers’ premises if necessary. Hence, we provide very strong local support to our customers in North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada.

Furthermore, we have built partnerships with some integrators, consulting firms, and other service providers in different cities to further strengthen our services.

Here are some of the service providers in Retail Trade we have worked with to serve our joint customers:

Accenture
Alvarez & Marsal
BDO USA LLP
Capgemini
Capgemini Canada
CGI Group
Cognizant
Deloitte
Ernst & Young LLP (EY)
Grant Thornton LLP
IBM Canada
IBM Global Business Services
Infosys Canada
KPMG LLP
Protiviti
RSM US LLP
Slalom
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Canada
Wipro Limited (Canada)

GAO has many Customers in the Retail Trade

The products from both GAO Tek Inc. and GAO RFID Inc. have been widely used in the Retail Trade by many customers, including some leading companies. Here is more information on applications of GAO RFID Inc.’s products in Retail Trade.

Retail Trade and Rental Industry

Supply Chain & Logistics

Here are some of GAO’s customers in the Retail Trade: