Authors:
Adrian Rodriguez
Abstract:
Disclosed is a system and method for using computer vision to determine and track every action taken in the checkout process. Then, identifying who is taking them (shopper or associate). Then determine which tasks are best and fastest done by each person.
Background:
A valued Retailer said they expect Associate Assisted Self-Checkout (ACO) to be in over 60% of the value chain’s fleet by the end of this year. It sounds a bit like an oxymoron, but they believe this concept will improve the customer experience. As cited by a prominent Retail CEO, “ACO allows our crew to move from behind the register to the floor to assist our customers with their shopping and checkout process, which makes for a better and faster customer experience.”
Many Retailers are using this approach of assisted check out.
What is needed is a way to measure and track the performance of assisted checkout relative to other checkout processes in the store and use the data to find the optimal process.
Description:
In the preferred embodiment, a store will be equipped with camera at the checkout area.
The camera will be able to detect store employees as well as store shoppers.
The camera will detect actions and gestures being performed by each in various places in the store.
The actions will be classified:
- picking
-scanning
-bagging
-paying
-produce look up
The actions can be further broken down:
-scanning large item
-scanning specific SKUs
The action will be detected throughout the store:
- assisted lanes,
- self check out
- frictionless shopping
- grab and go
A timer will track the amount of time the action takes to complete from start to finish.
The results be compared based on the person:
- shoppers vs employees
- specific employees
- demographic information for shoppers could be factored in
The results produced will be to indicate which is the best person to perform an action in an assisted checkout environment.
Furthermore, incentives and notifications can be provided to the shoppers and employees to motivate the optimal person to complete the action.
TGCS Reference 2429
