Fix Price expands the functionality of the video analytics system for monitoring trading floors

2024: Expansion of the video analytics system for monitoring the display of goods and the state of the trading floor

Fix Price expands the functionality of a video analytics system based on computer vision technology to monitor the display of goods and the state of the trading floor. The company announced this on November 8, 2024. Now the system not only determines the queues, but also allows you to control the "empty shelves," the cleanliness of the floor and the absence of foreign objects in the aisles.

Analyzing the images of the trading floor, the system generates comments and sends tasks to eliminate violations to the mobile application of the store manager. As part of the pilot launch in individual stores, it was revealed that 65% of violations were associated with interference in the aisles, 18% - with the lack of goods on the shelves, 17% - with cleanliness in the hall.

Expanding the functionality of the video analytics system allows us to more effectively monitor the condition of the trading floor and the layout of goods, supporting staff in improving the quality of service. Timely identification and elimination of shortcomings contributes to increased customer satisfaction and sales growth, "said Oleg Lexin, Chief information officer of Fix Price.

The technology is based on generative artificial intelligence that analyzes photos, and based on the request forms a text description of the problem, which, in turn, is transmitted to the device of the store manager. The introduction of generative artificial intelligence is a step forward from our previous project, where ordinary neural networks were used to control queues at the cash desks, "said Andrey Golovkin, director of Smart Retail Tech, general IT contractor Fix Price.

In November 2024, it is planned to expand the pilot project to 300 stores and complete it in the first quarter of 2025, with the subsequent implementation of the system in all its own stores in key markets of presence.

2023: Pilot project to introduce queue recognition technology at cash desks

The largest chain of low fixed price stores in Russia Fix Price has conducted a pilot project to introduce a technology for recognizing queues at cash desks using computer vision. Its main goal is to increase in-store traffic and customer loyalty by opening additional checkouts at peak times. In addition, traffic and queue data is continuously collected, which is then analyzed to improve network efficiency. The company announced this on December 18, 2023.

The technology for processing images from CCTV cameras at a certain interval analyzes the picture and, using a special model for counting people, determines the workload of the store. If the number of people has exceeded the specified limit, the manager receives a notification about the presence of a queue with a request to open an additional cash desk.

As part of the pilot project, the technology was introduced in seven Fix Price stores. After two months of testing, the average traffic in them increased by 2% compared to identical stores in which the technology was not used. Due to the decrease in queues, the number of abandoned baskets at the cash desk decreased and the turnover of retail outlets increased.

Queues at the box office appear in waves and can scare off some buyers who do not want to waste time waiting for payment for goods. According to the protocol, store staff should always quickly respond to this and open additional cash desks, but the human factor makes its own adjustments. Queue recognition technology helps level it out. In addition, it allows you to analyze which stores have a heavy load, and decide to install additional cash desks or increase the number of staff in a particular store, "said Oleg Lexin, head of the Fix Price IT service.

As of December 2023, the queue control service in stores is scaled to all its own Fix Price stores in Russia.