Our Intel IoT team excitedly championed everything from collaboration to pushing the boundaries of retail experiences at Manhattan Momentum. As Intel IoT’s Rachel Mushahwar told a roomful of attendees, enabling amazing experiences is at the heart of everything we do. We thrive on enabling the creation of experiences that help shoppers dream, explore, and connect best with brands and retailers. From operations, to inventory management, to workforce efficiencies, to new consumer experiences, Intel IoT technology enables opportunities for retailers to increase sales and reduce costs, helping them deliver the personalized engagements that today’s shoppers crave.

It’s truly amazing to see how the Internet of Things (IoT) is reinventing the traditional shopping experience. As stores become more connected through intelligent systems and devices, an unprecedented amount of data and customer insight is being generated. Through technology solutions that capture, analyze, and translate data into meaningful insights and optimal responses, Intel IoT technology enables the responsive store, where retailers use business intelligence to anticipate and respond to shoppers’ needs.

 

The Intel Retail Sensor Platform

We were thrilled to hear Rachel explain how, behind the scenes, the supply chain is playing a larger role in how customers experience retail. With the latest in sensor technology from Intel IoT and software from Manhattan Associates, retailers can track inventory with pinpoint accuracy, extending supply chain visibility all the way to the store shelf. Now it’s possible to see how customers interact with products as they shop, create incredibly personalized experiences, and get the right product into a customer’s hands as soon as it’s wanted.

Manhattan Store Solutions is further reimagining retail with innovative software for point of sale, inventory management, fulfillment, and clienteling. When retailers use Manhattan’s industry-leading platform in conjunction with Intel Retail Sensor Platform sensor technology, the result is near-real-time inventory data that reveals valuable business insights. This powerful combination of hardware and software is transforming retail and creating amazing new experiences—from customized omni-channel personalization and inventory visibility to operational efficiency and retail forecasting.

 

Customizing Omni-channel Retail Experiences

I’m happy to see that the era of personalized shopping experiences is here. With the Intel Retail Sensor Platform and Manhattan Store Solutions, retailers can track which products a customer has handled, as well as product movements around the store. The actionable data produced enables the creation of relevant promotional codes while the customer is shopping. Meanwhile, aggregate data across multiple brands and stores enables a customized customer experience.

 

Tracking Inventory with Pinpoint Accuracy

Retailers are also enabled to go beyond traditional supply chain visibility to track products all the way from the warehouse to the shelf. It is now possible to see exactly where an item is once it’s inside the store to make sure it gets to the right place—whether that’s on the shelf or in a customer’s hands.

 

Restocking Items before the Shelf is Empty

When retailers are able to anticipate and stock the exact items that customers are looking for it’s a win all around. With up-to-the-minute inventory visibility at the store level, retailers can now avoid running out of the items that are selling the most, increasing operational efficiency.

 

Retail Inventory Visibility

The era of frictionless transition from digital channels to brick-and-mortar shopping is also here. Now associates can quickly find the right item to fulfill an online order, or help a customer find a product from a retailer’s website.

 

Maximizing Store Layout

Then there’s the success that comes from savvy traffic flow. Retailers now have the tools to make store space and layouts smarter to save associates time, prioritize high-demand items, and avoid overstocks.

That’s a wrap from Manhattan Momentum 2016. Read more about the Retail Sensor Platform in our blog post from NRF 2016. To learn more about Intel IoT retail innovations, visit intel.com/retail. To stay up-to-date with Intel IoT developments, keep your eyes on this  blog,   intel.com/IoT, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.