Edge Computing in Retail (PoS)
Improve customer experience, and ensure retail point of sale works anytime, anywhere.
Retail & Edge Computing
The retail industry has seen a fair share of changes in the last decade. With the influx of e-commerce, many retailers are looking for ways to compete by enhancing the in-store experiences, and optimizing the supply chain. The combination of powerful small IoT devices and AI software is bringing in a new era of a data-driven shopping experience.
Edge Computing is a paradigm that enables retailers to offer reliable, secure, and fast services to their customers. ObjectBox is a solution that enables retail solutions, for example in-store POS systems, to always work, across devices, online and offline, keeping data automatically synchronized for a smooth user experience.
ObjectBox Empowers Edge Computing in Retail
Keeping Customer Information Confidential
Edge computing allows retailers to provide improved security for sensitive personal customer information. When data gets transferred between the cloud and devices, there is an increase in both security and compliance risks. Using ObjectBox Sync, retailers can filter information on the device, only synchronizing data required for model-building into the cloud.
Point of Sale, Online or Offline
One of the most basic and crucial use cases for edge computing in retail is with Point of Sale (PoS) systems. Retailers with inconsistent network connections (e.g. in remote areas, or developing communities), or large stores where associates can check out customers anywhere in the store with handheld devices, require PoS systems that can capture and process payment data, with or without and internet connection. ObjectBox allows devices to operate offline, and synchronize data peer to peer, or to the cloud when the network is back up.
In-Store Experience and Proximity Marketing
To improve customer loyalty and attract new customers, retailers are implementing smart devices such as digital mirrors, smart dressing rooms to enhance the in-store experience. These devices use edge computing to give real-time feedback to users.
In the future, shoppers might also opt in to share data with the store via a mobile app, allowing retailers to engage in proximity marketing. Using past purchasing behavior, stores can suggest customized further purchase options, synchronizing the in-store, online and mobile shopping experiences.
Automated Inventory
In stores, backroom technologies will over time become more IoT-driven. Automated warehouse handling systems and smart shelving systems will improve the accuracy of inventory tracking all along the supply chain. For example, automated inventory management can reorder items when supply is low, without requiring a person to physically take inventory. These connected devices will use edge computing to do local analysis/computing, sending only necessary data (e.g. an order, or update to the inventory count) to a central server.
High potential use cases in retail
According to this survey, only 23% of respondents in retail implement high potential IoT use cases. To clarify, use cases with high potential are those that bring the highest benefits in the shortest time. In retail, these are, for example: smart shelves, staff workload management, in-store intelligence, and inventory intelligence. By using ObjectBox database with its out-of-the-box Data Sync solution, you can save time developing a data management system for your new use case and implement it faster.
ObjectBox in a Nutshell
SUPERFAST DATABASE
ObjectBox is a high performance data storage solution for IoT and Mobile devices. For the devs: embedded, object-oriented, NoSQL, ACID compliant, <1MB footprint, time series feature, 10x faster than alternatives (see open source benchmarks).
data sync
ObjectBox Sync syncs the data you want to sync between edge device and the cloud automatically for you. It’s super efficient, so it saves energy and cloud costs. It is out-of-the-box, so developers save time and can go to market faster.
why edge computing?
Edge Computing keeps data local, and makes data storage and processing: sustainable, efficient, real time, offline, and secure. We believe Edge Computing is the future of computing, and we aren’t the only ones.
Why ObjectBox rocks
* A fast database = business value, save expense and time
* Our solutions are super-fast. Seriously. Benchmark us (please)
* We support all kinds of devices and platforms (details)
* We’re pretty fun to work with 🙂
Reach out and let’s collaborate.
In Depth: Edge Computing PoS Case Study
ObjectBox user easyGOband works with hotel chains and concert organizers, offering an offline-functional Point of Sale (PoS) system. This allows customers to purchase services or goods, check their account, or gain access to restricted locations e.g. the spa, anywhere, anytime. Using a broad variety of devices, the easyGOband solution needed a flexible edge computing data persistence layer and data synchronization solution to ensure a seamless experience for hotel guests and concertgoers.
