Crowd-Sourced Item Location System for Retail Inventory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retail establishments face difficulties in maintaining up-to-date stock location information due to the dynamic positioning of products and the vast number of items, which complicates navigation for shoppers and third-party pickers, and increases labor costs for manual audits.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing indoor augmented reality wayfinding technology to crowdsource item location data, where users with mobile devices equipped with cameras provide real-time video feedback, including visual and haptic cues, to navigate efficiently to desired items, and incentivize users to contribute location data for updating inventory maps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual product location audits are conducted to ensure stock location maps are up to date, then measurement precision of item location is improved, but loss of time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing shoppers to automatically update item location data during their normal shopping activities. When shoppers view item locations through the mobile application, their device automatically captures and uploads location information, eliminating the need for dedicated manual audits. The shopper's mobile device serves itself to collect and transmit location data without requiring separate audit operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms discrete manual audit events into continuous automatic data collection. As shoppers continuously move through the store and view various items, location data is continuously captured and updated in real-time. This continuous action replaces periodic manual audits, ensuring stock location maps remain constantly current without interrupting store operations.
2Reliability
If manual product location audits are conducted to ensure stock location maps are up to date, then reliability of inventory data is improved, but labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical manual audit process with an automated electronic system. Instead of employees physically walking through stores to verify item locations, the system uses mobile devices with cameras and sensors to automatically capture location data. The mobile application processes and uploads this data automatically, substituting human labor with automated technological processes that reduce operational costs while maintaining or improving data reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing shoppers to automatically update item location data during their normal shopping activities. When shoppers view item locations through the mobile application, their device automatically captures and uploads location information, eliminating the need for dedicated manual audits. The shopper's mobile device serves itself to collect and transmit location data without requiring separate audit operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If employees and vendor representatives shift product locations dynamically, then adaptability of inventory positioning is improved, but loss of information about current locations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where item location data is automatically captured, uploaded, and stored in real-time. When products are moved to new locations, the system continuously monitors and updates the database, providing current location information to users. This feedback mechanism ensures that even as products are dynamically repositioned, the system maintains accurate, up-to-date location data without requiring manual intervention to track changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms discrete manual audit events into continuous automatic data collection. As shoppers continuously move through the store and view various items, location data is continuously captured and updated in real-time. This continuous action replaces periodic manual audits, ensuring stock location maps remain constantly current without interrupting store operations.
4Measurement precision
If the vast number of products are tracked manually, then measurement precision of item location is improved, but productivity of data collection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical manual audit process with an automated electronic system. Instead of employees physically walking through stores to verify item locations, the system uses mobile devices with cameras and sensors to automatically capture location data. The mobile application processes and uploads this data automatically, substituting human labor with automated technological processes that reduce operational costs while maintaining or improving data reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing shoppers to automatically update item location data during their normal shopping activities. When shoppers view item locations through the mobile application, their device automatically captures and uploads location information, eliminating the need for dedicated manual audits. The shopper's mobile device serves itself to collect and transmit location data without requiring separate audit operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are disclosed for identifying item locations via crowd-sourced information. The system includes a server having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The server is coupled to a mobile shopping application on a mobile device of a user. The processor performs a series of operations constituting the following method. The user of the mobile shopping application on the mobile device is selectively requested to locate an item in a retail store via the mobile shopping application. The user is directed to an expected location of the item via the mobile shopping application. Confirmation is received from the user that the item has been located via the mobile shopping application. The precise location of the item is captured in conjunction with the mobile shopping application. An item location database is updated to include the captured precise location of the item.