Augmented Reality Scanning Enables Retail Innovation (Video)

A new video from Scandit demonstrates how augmented reality (AR) scanning allows retailers to disrupt routine workflows, obtaining a competitive advantage. 

AR scanning overlays digital imagery into the results of a mobile device scan. This means that retailers can superimpose graphics, animations, and other virtual content on the screen of a smartphone, tablet or wearable device when a barcode is scanned.

Watch the video below to see this solution in action.

How AR Scanning Drives Retail Efficiency

Thanks to AR scanning, retailers can generate and display a wealth of additional data from product barcode scans. Armed with this capability, retailers can evolve mobile barcode scanning from a tool for streamlining routine industry use cases to an enabler of enterprise transformation.

For example, by checking inventory levels with AR scanning, retailers can display available stock levels by individual products. In the video above, items with a low inventory level are indicated with an augmented red light generated by barcode scans. Associates can also focus on a specific product to access critical product information using AR displays.

Retail Inventory & BOPIS

AR scanning provides real-time inventory transparency, allowing retailers to maximize shelf availability, minimize out-of-stocks and boost sales and customer satisfaction. AR scanning also unlocks immediate insight into inventory levels necessary to support seamless retail activities such as Buy Online Pickup In Store (BOPIS). Learn more about how AR scanning supports BOPIS operations here. 

Price Label Verification

Other innovative retail uses for AR scanning at the shelf include price label verification. By scanning both text and barcode, retailers can confirm the accuracy of prices with an AR indicator. If a price is incorrectly labeled, the correct price can be overlaid into the scan display using AR. Easy and real-time detection and resolution of price label errors can allow retailers to avoid potential local and state fines, as well as customer dissatisfaction and the time and expense of manual price label reviews.

Retail Warehouse Operations

In the back room and warehouse, AR scanning can also deliver competitive advantages. For example, an associate searching for a specific SKU in a large assortment of boxes, crates or pallets can use AR scanning to capture an entire set of barcodes with a single scan and then have the correct item highlighted in an AR display. Incorrect items in shipments and deliveries can be instantly discovered and marked, and misplaced goods can be quickly and easily located.

This enhanced ability to locate products and correct supply chain errors provides retailers with a critical advantage in supply chain efficiency and customer satisfaction. 

Retail Savings & ROI

Augmented reality scanning can significantly impact the bottom line of retailers as well. Consider that according to the 2017 National Retail Security Survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and University of Florida, inventory shrink totaled $48.9 billion in 2016, or 1.44% of sales. About 21% of shrink results from administrative paperwork errors, with another 5% resulting from vendor fraud or errors.

The heightened inventory accuracy provided by AR scanning could reduce industry-wide inventory shrink by 26%, or close to $13 billion annually. Think of the savings that could be produced in your own organization.

Customer-Facing Workflows

AR scanning can also be successfully applied to customer-facing barcode scanning workflows. Virtual overlays can inform customers of discounts, special characteristics (such as gluten-free foods), upsell and cross-sell offers, social media reviews, stock levels, and other valuable product data. Increases in customer satisfaction, visit frequency and market basket size will all likely follow.

Unlock Retail Innovation with Scandit

Scandit currently offers AR scanning capabilities with the MatrixScan feature of our Barcode Scanner SDK. To learn more about this powerful data capture tool and how it can benefit your retail enterprise, contact us today.