Schnuck Markets and Simbe Robotics have agreed to expand the integration of Tally, the autonomous shelf-scanning robot, to at least 15 select Schnucks’ stores.
Schnucks and Simbe kicked off a pilot in July 2017, when Tally began capturing deeper, real-time insights into on-shelf operations in three Schnucks locations.
As a result of the initial pilot’s success, Schnucks is increasing the scope of the partnership to bring at least 15 Tally robots to key stores, giving the retailer a tech-forward competitive advantage.
To propel Schnucks’ physical stores into a new era of efficiency and improved customer experience, Simbe’s technology provides insightful shelf data and improves how products are organized and stocked on shelves.
Tally is claimed to be the world’s first fully autonomous in-store product auditing solution.
Tally provides on-shelf intelligence that enables Schnucks to better serve their customers by ensuring products are where they are intended to be, and where customers expect them to be.
Furthermore, the data captured and analytic reports recapping the data provide groundbreaking perspective to not only the store, but to brands and delivery partners regarding shelf and inventory optimization.
Together, Schnucks and Simbe are capable of:
- Conducting autonomous product audits, allowing store teammates to better serve customers
- Providing timely alerts for out-of-stock, low stock, and misplaced items
- Ensuring price tag updates are expedited to reflect price adjustments and promotions
- Delivering continuous in-store performance insights for brand and retail service partners
- Optimizing product location to create a more organized shopping flow and efficient planogram that works in concert with other technology
Dave Steck, Schnucks vice president of IT infrastructure and application development, says: “Tally has been instrumental in boosting the way our shelves are managed and how our stores function.
“As a result of working with Simbe, we’ve experienced a phenomenon we call ‘The Tally Effect’, an immediate improvement in in-store operations and increased teammates productivity.
“Currently, teammates are spending several hours a week completing tasks like inventory scanning and price tag auditing. Since we implemented Tally, the robot now completes those mundane tasks, allowing teammates to focus on customer service.
“We have confidence that with Simbe, our stores will run more smoothly and customers will continue to have exceptional, and modern, shopping experiences.”
In its current deployment, Tally robots in Schnucks stores traverse the floors three times per day, scanning approximately 35,000 products per traversal.
By increasing to at least 15 stores, in an average day the Tally robots will scan over 1.5 million products, giving Schnucks more accurate, frequent, and comprehensive insights into product flow and in-store operations.
Schnucks customers and teammates have the unique opportunity to shop and work alongside Tally with the reassurance that products are priced and placed correctly.
The robot is fully autonomous, meaning it safely navigates around aisles and shoppers, and returns to its charging dock all on its own, without any human intervention.
Brad Bogolea, CEO of Simbe, says: “Schnucks is deeply committed to exceptional customer service and has taken a tech-forward approach to improving in-store operations, which ultimately delivers a better shopping experience.
“Tally has provided Schnucks with a deeper understanding of inventory flow and shelf health, and the results exceeded expectations. We look forward to our continued partnership and bringing digital-grade insights to even more of Schnucks stores.”
Tally is already operating in the following Schnucks stores:
- Ballwin – 15425 Manchester Road, Ballwin, Mo. 63011
- Woods Mill – 1060 Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield, Mo. 63017
- Des Peres – 12332 Manchester Road, Des Peres, Mo. 63131
- Webster Groves – 8650 Big Bend, Webster Groves, Mo. 63119
Tally is planned for October or November rollout in the following Schnucks stores, with more to follow soon:
- Sierra Vista – 1589 Sierra Vista Plaza, St. Louis, Mo. 63138
- Cross Keys – 13897 New Halls Ferry Road, Florissant, Mo. 63033
- Twin Oaks – 1393 Big Bend, Twin Oaks, Mo. 63021
- Granite City – 3100 Madison Ave. Granite City, Ill. 62040
