The retail trade industry involves the sale of goods to consumers through physical or online stores. It encompasses a broad range of products, including clothing, electronics, groceries, household goods, and more. GAO’s BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) beacons and gateways have a long reading range, making them ideal for retail stores that often have large, complex layouts and may be spread across multiple buildings or floors.
BLE beacons and gateways have a variety of potential applications in the retail trade industry. Here are a few examples: GAO offers a suite of BLE systems for the retail trade industry:
• Inventory tracking: BLE beacons can be attached to products such as electronics, apparel, or shelves to track inventory levels in real-time. Beacons transmit data to a gateway, which can be used to monitor stock levels and trigger restocking orders as needed.
• Customer tracking: BLE beacons can be used to track customer behavior within the store. Gateways can be placed at key locations such as entry points, product displays, and checkout counters, to track customer movement and behavior. This data can be used to optimize store layouts and improve customer engagement.
• Access control: BLE solutions can be used to control access to sensitive areas within a retail store, such as stockrooms or cash registers. Beacons can be assigned to specific employees and access can be granted or denied based on the proximity of the beacon to a BLE gateway.
• Parking control: BLE gateways can be placed at parking gates to monitor occupancy, entry, and exit vehicles, and ensure convenient parking for customers.
• Environmental Monitoring: BLE temperature, humidity, and vibration sensors tags are used to monitor devices to track and analyze environmental conditions within a retail store. For example, retailers can monitor temperature and humidity levels in their refrigerators and freezers to ensure optimal storage conditions for perishable goods, leading to better-quality products.
• In-store Navigation: BLE beacons can be used to help shoppers navigate the store and find specific products. Beacons can transmit location data to the shopper's smartphone or tablet, providing them with real-time directions of the product they're looking for.
