EuroCIS 2019: The future of retail lies in intelligent branches

Microsoft at EuroCIS 2019

Together with partners, Microsoft demonstrates how purchasing with artificial intelligence and Internet of Things will become more efficient and personal.

Munich, February 19th, 2019 – The EuroCIS 2019 from 19th to 21st February 2019 in Düsseldorf is the leading technology trade fair in the retail industry. Microsoft will present together with partners a total of 16 showcases at its stand in Hall 9/F39. Focus will be layed on solutions for personalised customer approach, as well as Internet of Things (IoT) usage and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies for smart branches.

Trade focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the by far most important future technological topic. 70 percent of study participants of „Smart Stores – AI and IoT in Retail“ (published on 20.02.2019 by EHI Retail Institute and Microsoft, reservation in advance here) named AI as one of next years important technological trends. Used in form of predictive data analyses („Predictive Analytics“) and for location-specific allocation of goods. According to the survey, dynamic pricing is also likely to gain future importance. The study also classifies the Internet of Things (IoT) as a „relevant future trend“ for retail branches and real estate for the first time ever.

Based on data and cloud technologies retail industry is working on solutions for personalized shopping experiences

„Our study clearly shows, retailers are offensively searching for solutions to inspire with personalized offers and to reinvent retail processes with AI and IoT,“ comments Xenia Giese, Industry Solution Executive Retail & Consumer Goods at Microsoft Germany and co-author of the study. „We work closely with retailers to help them aligning their business with their customers and to use data-driven, cloud based insights successfully.“ continues Giese. „In addition, we use digital tools such as sensors, machine learning and advanced analytics to enable branch employees to perform their operational tasks more efficiently. In this way they can save time to devote to their customers.

EuroCIS 2019: 16 showcases at EuroCIS present the future of retailing

At the Microsoft stand in Hall 9/F39 of EuroCIS 2019, a total of 16 customers and partners will be giving an insight into how they want to win over consumers through personalized offers and digital experiences, including Adobe, Blue Yonder/JDA, Obungi, Genetec Germany, Bizerba, Getron, Qopius, Episerver and Hitachi Solutions Germany. Further partner and customer scenarios are:

AiFi: An Artificial Intelligenze shopsystem

The Californian company AiFi brings the concept of autonomous or unoccupied branches to EuroCIS. A flexible shop system, based on a standard container, can be easily extended with additional modules. With their shop system customers can experience guided shopping by artificial intelligence – via visitor tracking, stocks and shopping behaviour with technologies by the field of machine vision.

The results provide employees with real-time insights into what works well – and what doesn’t. Customers of intelligent shops can identify themselves by app or credit card when entering the store and place goods in a shopping basket as usual. The system uses Seamless Checkout to analyze the goods of the customers basket as they leave the store and collects its actual content digitally.

The Kroger Co. presents Retail-as-a-Service

US largest supermarket chain, The Kroger Co, works on the future of modern retail stores. The company provides submitting proposals for food shopping to its customers on base of data and artificial intelligence. These proposals are part of a strategic partnership with Microsoft, announced at the NRF 2019 international trade conference in January. In Düsseldorf, The Kroger Co. will present a concept of a „Retail-as-a-Service“ platform based on Microsoft Azure. Through its subsidiary Sunrise Technologies, the company offers its own tried and tested technology solutions for retailers and manufacturers.

The portfolio includes, among others, the Kroger EDGE Shelf („Enhanced Display for Grocery Environment“), which offers interactive, low maintenance shelf displays based on rear projection. It not only enables flexible promotion and price displaying via cloud portal, but also supports merchandising with additional product information. In addition, the shelf, together with an app, offers an in-store click-and-collect picking mode where goods ordered online can be picked up at a local shop. Furthermore customers can be guided by app through the store with help of signals on the shelves. In future, the platform will also include a Virtual Store Manager and a sensor network – supplemented by industry-specific interfaces for POS, inventory management and merchandise management systems.

SESImagotag: Platform and ESL for the future of commerce

SESImagotag is also working on contemporary shelf presentation of goods at supermarkets and department stores. In Düsseldorf, the French company will demonstrate how modern cloud technologies powered by Microsoft can be used to deliver dynamic information rather than just static prices – individually for customers and currently for retailers.

The VUSION tags from SESImagotag, which won the Red Dot Award for their design, can be integrated into any environment. With its ESL („Electronic Shelf Labeling“), not only retailers become more efficient. Based on the price tags, the company is developing a portal with a constantly growing portfolio of IoT and AI-based applications aimed at the automation of retail stores, the integration of buyers and data analysis.

Digimarc shows invisible barcodes for comprehensive shopping experience

Digimarc from Oregon/USA also relies on modern technologies for better shopping experiences in local stores. For example at the checkout and especially in fresh food areas. The company offers a cost-effective and easy-to-implement technology to retailers: the invisible Digimarc Barcode is used for packaging, thermal labels, garment tags and more to ensure more reliable and efficient scanning of goods by customers and vendors. Digimarc Barcode works with standard barcode scanners and scales, eliminating the need for costly hardware investments. As a cloud-based solution, it is flexibly scalable at all times.

Digimarc Barcode offers customers a flexible checkout system with invisible barcodes integrated directly into product packaging and readable from smartphones, scanners or cash registers. The universally readable labels also make cashing out easier. An often cumbersome search for UPC barcodes is no longer necessary. Also the payment process is significantly accelerated, especially since even slightly damaged packaging can be read and scanned more easily.

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, founded in 1983, is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation/Redmond, U.S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of standard software, services and solutions, generating $110.4 billion in revenue (in fiscal year 2018; as of June 30, 2018). The operating income was $30.3 billion. Alongside its headquarters in München-Schwabing, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH operates six regional offices in Germany and employs more than 2,700 members of staff. In association with around 30,000 partners, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH serves companies of all sizes across all industries. The Advanced Technology Labs Europe (ATLE) in Munich is focused on research in IT security, privacy, mobility, mobile applications and web services.

Communications Manager Microsoft
Irene Nadler
Communications Manager Windows & Devices
[email protected]
@irenenadler

PR agency FAKTOR 3 AG
Caroline Lambert
Tel.: 0 40 – 67 94 46-61 06
[email protected]

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