A new survey shows the widespread acceptance of robots in retail.
One of the striking trends during the pandemic has been the wider adoption of automation technologies. Retail, in particular, has accelerated the development of automation, including robotics.
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A new study by RetailWire and Brain Corp, an artificial intelligence (AI) company that creates key technology in robotics, including cleaning robots, supports the conclusion that COVID-19 has accelerated the development and adoption of automation. Sales of robots used for tasks such as cleaning floors and sweeping shelves, both in stores and warehouses, have skyrocketed.
The results of the research are included in a report available online titled, “Robots in Retail: Examining the Autonomous Opportunity.”
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Among the top findings, 64% of retailers believe it is important to have a clear, actionable and budgeted robotics automation strategy in place in 2021, including 77% of large retailers. This is impressive, given that robots in retail have so far not captured the attention of retailers. Now, nearly half of survey respondents say they will participate in an in-store robotics project within the next 18 months.
One of the major drivers of adoption during the pandemic has been an over-focus on cleanliness. According to the survey, the vast majority (72%) of respondents say they do not foresee a major change in consumer expectations for in-store cleanliness, even after widespread vaccinations. A similar number of large retailers, 73%, say the importance of using robots in warehouses or distribution centers has increased due to factors that emerged during the pandemic.
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The need to maintain safe and clean conditions coincided with growing awareness of the benefits of “retail automation” for data-driven insights.
Robotic technology in retail is steadily gaining ground, but RetailWire said it found the new trends of accelerating adoption expressed in the survey “amazing” but a bit utopian.
Information source: zdnet.com
