Simbe Announces International Expansion into Turkey with CarrefourSA as New Study Underscores Positive Shopper Sentiment for In-Store Robots

CarrefourSA joins many recently-announced top retailers digitizing stores with Simbe’s market-leading computer vision, AI, and robotics; New research shows that most shoppers prefer retailers with robots in-store

Simbe, the only multimodal provider of Store Intelligence™ solutions, announced a new international partnership with CarrefourSA, a Turkish subsidiary of Sabanci Holding and Carrefour Group which operates in over 1,200 stores across 64 provinces and employs a workforce of 15,000. As a surging number of global retailers deploy Simbe’s platform, new research also reveals that over three of four shoppers prefer retailers with in-store robots.

CarrefourSA Enhances Shoppers’ Experience with AI & Robotics Automation

As autonomous and AI-powered robotic technologies transform the retail sector, CarrefourSA deployed Tally into select stores this summer as an expression of its commitment to deliver the right products from the right producers at the right prices to its customers. The new stores add a new country to Simbe’s three continent roster.

Designed to enhance the customer experience, Tally operates three times a day, scanning store aisles to ensure items are stocked and tagged properly. The robot captures images of products and shelves and processes them in near real-time, which allows store personnel to quickly replenish any missing items. Additionally, Tally monitors and addresses issues related to incorrect labeling that customers may encounter during their shopping experience.

Tally has positively contributed to employee efficiency in CarrefourSA stores, with saved staff time redirected towards enhancing customer experience and communication.

Retailers Increasingly Embrace Store Intelligence

Modern retailers are making strategic investments in technology and data that enhance the shopping experience, improve store teams’ job satisfaction, and reclaim revenue. Through Simbe’s platform – which combines industry-leading computer vision, AI, and the world’s most advanced autonomous item-scanning robot, Tally – retailers gain visibility into near real-time store and shelf conditions. Having a continuous, accurate view of store interiors for the first time eradicates retail’s last data desert and unlocks new opportunities to capture market share.

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Simbe’s partnership with CarrefourSA – which come on the heels of new and expanded deployments with Northeast Grocery, TOPS Friendly Markets, Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32, SpartanNash and Wakefern – emphasize the substantial value that top retailers derive from enlisting Simbe’s market-leading solutions to digitize physical stores, achieving unprecedented levels of precision and performance across all channels.

Simbe powers automated shelf digitization for the largest number of retail banners in the world. Retailers such as BJ’s Wholesale, SpartanNash, Schnucks, Wakefern, and more – as well as Fortune 500 retailers yet to be formally announced – have realized substantial ROI and transformative impacts on all aspects of their business by partnering with Simbe.

Shoppers Prefer Stores that Use Robots

top frustrations for shoppers include inconsistent pricing, confusing promotions, and low or out-of-stock (OOS) inventory – all of which can lead to dissatisfaction and a lack of trust. Enterprising retailers are addressing these challenges through cutting-edge technology, such as inventory robots that help store teams keep shelves fully stocked with the right products at the right price.

In a recent survey of over 400 U.S. shoppers who have visited retailers with in-store robots in the last three months, the majority – and particularly those who shop more frequently – cited a positive affinity and strong preference for robots in store. The research demonstrates robots’ tangible impact on alleviating these common pain points and creating a differentiated shopping experience. Additional findings from the study include:

• Only 4% of shoppers view retail robots in a negative light. The majority (77%) of shoppers view in-store robots positively, and nearly all shoppers (96%) have a positive or neutral attitude.
• Most shoppers view retailers with in-store robots as innovative (84%) and growing companies (80%), who are investing in its customers’ experience (76%).
• Most shoppers believe robots will improve the accuracy of on-shelf labeling (72%) and ensure the products they want are available on shelf (69%).
• Shopper positivity remains constant across repeated exposure to in-store retail robots. 100% of shoppers that liked seeing a robot one time felt the same at 3 or more times.
• Frequent shoppers feel even more positive about robots, liking in-store robots 29% more than infrequent shoppers.
• Most consumers (61%) are more likely to shop at retailers who have in-store robots.
• The above trends are likely to expand, as younger consumers are most favorable to in-store retail robots.

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“At the beginning of 2024, IGD predicted that retailers will focus on computer vision, automation, robotics and AI to drive productivity and reduce costs. The number of retailers across geographies that are now leveraging Simbe’s technology is a great example of IGD’s prediction coming to fruition,” said Toby Pickard, Retail Futures Senior Partner at the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD). “Regarding the recent survey of U.S. shoppers, the findings align with what I’ve previously heard from CEO’s and Store Managers, who have told me how Tally is helping drive footfall to their stores as the robot brings joy and excitement to shoppers, especially those with children. As the benefits of automation, computer vision, robotics and AI continue to become more apparent – from improving e-commerce pick rates to ensuring planogram compliance and enabling virtual store tours – I expect we will see more and more retailers implementing such technology to ensure they remain operationally efficient and offer the best service to shoppers.”

A more comprehensive look at the shopper sentiment data can be found in the research report here, which was conducted by Diagnostic Measurement Group. Simbe is also hosting a webinar on October 2 at 12 PM PST – What Retail Shoppers Think of In-store Robots – to discuss the findings in greater depth.