The wholesale trade industry involves the buying and selling of goods in large quantities to retailers, other wholesalers, and sometimes directly to end-users. It is an important part of the supply chain and includes businesses that distribute a wide range of products, such as food and beverages, electronics, clothing, and construction materials. There are several uses for GAO’s Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons and gateways in the wholesale trade industry-

• People Tracking- BLE keychain and badge beacons can be carried by the employee and gateways can be placed around a wholesale facility to track employee movements. A wholesale store manager can track the movement of employees to identify the most efficient routes and improve overall productivity.
• Asset Tracking- BLE beacons can be attached to equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks and gateways can be placed around a wholesale facility to track their location and usage. This setup can help optimize asset utilization, reduce loss or theft, and improve maintenance management.
• Access Control- BLE beacons can be used to grant access to restricted areas or equipment. Employees can carry a BLE-enabled ID badge that can be detected by a gateway when they approach a restricted area or equipment such as machinery or tools. This can help improve security and prevent unauthorized access.
• Parking Management- BLE beacons can be placed in vehicles such as trucks, cars, and forklifts, and gateways can be used to detect their presence. A wholesale store manager can use this data to optimize parking usage and reduce congestion.
• Environmental Monitoring- BLE beacons can be used to monitor environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and air quality, and gateways can be used to collect and transmit this data. This setup can help wholesale managers maintain ideal storage conditions for their products and prevent damage due to environmental factors. They can use this data to identify potential maintenance issues and prevent equipment failures.
• Indoor Navigation- By placing BLE beacons at various locations within a warehouse or storage facility, a smartphone app can provide workers with real-time location information and turn-by-turn directions to specific storage areas or products. This can help workers more efficiently navigate large and complex facilities.