When cameras were first introduced in retail stores, it revolutionized the way business owners took take of their operations. Cameras ushered in a security and operations revolution, but a new generation of cameras is helping retailers do a lot more than keep an eye on merchandise. 

• Today’s smart cameras can do everything from analyze how shoppers move around stores to help store owners understand consumer brand preferences to monitor the ripeness of fruit. These new features can mean the difference between a sale and a frustrating customer experience. 

This use of technology is rapidly transforming the shopping experience. According to a survey* sponsored by Synchrony, 72% of retailers said artificial intelligence will be a competitive necessity for their company in the next 5 years. And 40% said they were investing in robotic process automation in at least some parts of their business*. Applying AI, robotic processes and other tech enables never-previously possible opportunities for cameras. No longer are we talking about the typical point-and-shoot variety!
     
“If you can teach those cameras to recognize merchandise and traffic patterns, you can use machine learning to analyze those insights,” says Sih Lee, SVP Strategy, Payment Solutions at Synchrony. Fusing the old and the new has yielded exciting new possibilities for retailers looking to gain an edge in a market where technology is moving the conversation forward.