A Tally Robot to Keep Stock of Retail Shelves

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Global retailers lose nearly $450 billion due to out-of-stock items and empty shelves, Simbe Robotics says-- bringing about a need for Tally, the autonomous shelf auditing robot.

Tally robotThe idea behind Tally is pretty straightforward. One or more Tally units roam around brick-and-mortar retail environments to keep track of the merchandise available on the shelves. The robots detect out-of-stock and low stocks, identify misplaced or incorrectly facing items and even validate price tags, all with vendor management and 3rd party supplier compliance.

Tally operates "safely" during regular store hours, and even heads automatically to charging stations when low on power, Roomba-style. The actual unit is 96cm tall and weighs around 13kg.

Simbe Robotics also promises Tally robots require no need for store infrastructure changes, while cloud-powered software provides retailers with "unprecedented information and insight into the state of their stores." The software can also be integrated with existing retailer IT systems, since it is built on the open source Robot Operating System (ROS).

"When it comes to the retail industry, shopper experience is everything. If a product is unavailable at the time the shopper wants to buy it, the retailer has missed an opportunity and disappointed their customer,” the company says. “Tally helps retailers address these challenges by providing more precise and timely analysis of the state of in-store merchandise and freeing up staff to focus on customer service.”

The robot is currently undergoing trials with "several" N. American retailers, and Simbe Robotics is taking inquiries on pricing and pilot programs.

Go Simbe Robotics