Robots

Walmart is testing the use of storage and retrieval robotics, called Alphabot, to increase the speed of online grocery order pickup, according to a company blog post. The technology, which was developed in collaboration with retail automation company Alert Innovation, is being installed in a section of a Salem, N.H. supercenter, which will also be a dedicated…

Kroger announced a deal this week with British online grocer Ocado to help improve its grocery delivery services through the construction of robotically operated warehouses. A report by Reuters states the deal is Ocado's first in the United States and company’s fourth major agreement with retailers in six months. Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen called the…

Technology’s presence in popular culture is inescapable — so much so that the debate over whether “retail is dying” and “technology is taking over” has caused fluctuating business models in real estate, automotive and large corporations. SET Creative, an award-winning experience agency, suggests a different perspective in that we’ve underestimated the need for brick-and-mortar, human experiences for retail’s future growth. In its new whitepaper, Human After All, technology is painted as a powerful resource for commerce, but one that doesn’t entertain the essential quality that humans bring to the retail table: an understanding of consumer behavior through quality customer interaction. A marriage of physical and digital is what will save classic retail from extinction.

Since they first started showing up on annual trends lists in 2015, industry watchers have predicted that robots would be all the rage in retail. Fast-forward a few years and it’s clear the pace is picking up, but there’s still no consensus about the ultimate role of robots in stores. Are they best suited for…

Amazon.com is reportedly working on an an ambitious, top-secret plan to build domestic robots. According to a report in Bloomberg, the project is code named “Vesta,” after the Roman goddess of the hearth, home and family, and is being overseen by Gregg Zehr, who runs Amazon’s Lab126 hardware research and development division. Lab126 is responsible for…

The robots have arrived and they're becoming increasingly self-aware. There's broad acceptance that artificial intelligence (AI) is here. However, we're still figuring out how to apply it across retail businesses for supply chains, operations, omnichannel experiences, or even in-store. While we're still in the early stages of application, one thing is certain: as we increasingly…

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said last week it's rolling out shelf-scanning robots in more than 50 U.S. stores next year, to replenish inventory faster and save employees’ time when products run out. While Wal-Mart has been testing shelf-scanning robots in stores in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and California for the past three years, by the end of January,…

Much ink has been spilled hypothesizing about the future of the store. One long-term dream of science fiction writers that's now reality is the introduction of robots into our everyday lives, and this without a doubt includes shopping. Many conversations to this effect are happening in boardrooms and IT departments all over the world. Exactly…

Digital has touched all aspects of our lives, from the way we work and communicate to how we shop. The sweeping effects of e-commerce, with online sales estimated to reach $523 billion in the U.S. by 2020, mean that the retail sector is at the center of digital transformation. Brick-and-mortar stores have experienced the tremors…

Lowe's is about to debut its latest addition to its store associate team. This fall, the home improvement retailer will introduce LoweBot, a NAVii autonomous retail service robot. LoweBot make its debut in 11 stores throughout the San Francisco Bay area. According to CNBC, "the robots, made by Fellow Robots, use a 3-D scanner to…