Pyaterochka is testing a system for planning the layout of goods in augmented reality

2021: Testing the merchandise layout planning system

The Pyaterochka trading network is testing a system for planning the layout of goods in augmented reality. This was announced by X5 Group on January 18, 2022. The pilot was held in 30 stores of the network in Kazan. As a result of replacing printed layout schemes with AR layout, retail turnover of stores increased by 2.8%.

The usual plans for placing goods on the shelf, which are usually printed on paper and placed on shelves and price lists, were replaced in pilot stores with the format of "augmented reality." To see the current layout of goods, it is enough to scan a special marker placed on the shelf using the ARGUMENT application using a smartphone. As a result, a color scheme will unfold on the device screen, according to which it is necessary to place goods. Each marker for the convenience of employees visually symbolizes a particular category of goods.

Thus, personnel at any time have at hand an actual plan for laying out goods. As a result, the efficiency of working with the assortment increased, the speed of changing goods on the shelves and, the use of paper for printing decreased.

Competent distribution of goods directly affects the growth of turnover and profit. However, depending on the availability of assortment and shares, the placement patterns can often change, and it takes time to communicate information to employees. Therefore, it is very important to provide real-time access to information. To do this, we conducted a pilot to train for working with planograms in the format of augmented reality and saw good dynamics in key business indicators, and also received positive feedback from store workers, "said Alexander Kuznetsov, director of retail technologies for the Volga macro-region of the Pyaterochka retail chain.

To assess the effectiveness of the solution, in pilot stores, an increase in demand for goods laid out on an electronic basis was measured and compared with the indicators of control group stores with paper layout schemes. At the same time, statistics of the ARGUMENT platform on the dates and frequency of marker scans were analyzed. As a result, the growth in demand for goods placed under digital schemes amounted to an average of 2.8%, which was 560% higher than the expected result.