{"id":16494,"date":"2024-07-30T17:21:29","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T15:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heliotgroup.com\/use-case\/effective-shopping-cart-tracking-for-retailers-sigfox-solution-for-management-and-tracking\/"},"modified":"2025-01-31T11:40:58","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T10:40:58","slug":"effective-shopping-cart-tracking-for-retailers-sigfox-solution-for-management-and-tracking","status":"publish","type":"solutions","link":"https:\/\/www.heliotgroup.com\/en\/use-case\/effective-shopping-cart-tracking-for-retailers-sigfox-solution-for-management-and-tracking\/","title":{"rendered":"Effective shopping cart tracking for retailers: Sigfox solution for management and tracking"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The <\/strong>equipment <\/strong>Shopping cart<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In modern retail, shopping carts are an indispensable part of the shopping experience.
\nThey offer convenience to customers and make it easier to transport goods around the store and to the vehicle.
\nHowever, it is a constant challenge for retailers to manage these shopping carts and ensure that they are available in sufficient numbers at all times. <\/p>\n

Shopping carts are a considerable investment.
\nA single trolley can cost between 100 and 400 euros, depending on the equipment and quality.
\nFor a medium-sized supermarket with around 200 trolleys, this corresponds to an investment in operating resources of up to 80,000 euros.
\nLost or stolen trolleys are therefore not only a logistical problem, but also a financial loss. <\/p>\n

In addition, the lack of sufficient available trolleys can negatively impact the customer shopping experience, potentially leading to lost sales.
\nTherefore, the efficient management and tracking of shopping carts is a crucial factor for the smooth operation and economic success of a retail business. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Misappropriated: a variant of the improper use of shopping trolleys.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Challenges with the management of shopping carts<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Managing shopping carts presents numerous challenges, especially when it comes to monitoring the location of carts both inside and outside the retail site.
\nHere are some of the biggest challenges: <\/p>\n

Loss and theft<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Shopping carts are often stolen or left outside the store.
\nResearch has shown that the annual loss from stolen shopping carts can be up to \u20ac10,000 per site for some large retailers.
\nThis not only represents a financial loss, but also requires additional expenditure to replace the trolleys. <\/p>\n

In Vienna alone, over 11,000 Rewe shopping carts were recovered by the MA48 sweep force in 2016 (read more here)<\/a>. In Germany, it is estimated that around 100,000 shopping carts are stolen every year . In 2017, 520,000 shopping trolleys were returned to UK supermarkets, which equates to an average of 1,400 per day. However, according to industry estimates, the actual number of abandoned shopping trolleys is closer to one million per year. This problem costs UK businesses \u00a335 million a year, or more than \u00a395,000 a day! Despite these figures, 40% of UK shoppers do not see a serious need for action in relation to shopping trolley theft.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from the direct damage, retailers in some countries and regions face municipal fines for the return and storage of shopping carts.<\/p>\n

Maintenance and repairs<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Shopping carts are in constant use and therefore susceptible to wear and damage.
\nTimely maintenance and repair is crucial to ensure trolleys are ready for use at all times.
\nWithout an effective system to monitor the use and condition of the trolleys, these tasks can be time-consuming and inefficient. <\/p>\n

Location tracking and availability<\/strong><\/h4>\n

One of the biggest challenges is to ensure that shopping carts are always available where they are needed.
\nThis applies to the inside of the store as well as the parking lots and surrounding areas.
\nWithout a reliable tracking system, it is difficult to know how many trolleys are in certain locations and whether there are enough trolleys available for customers. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Neatly parked shopping trolleys in a supermarket car park, ready for customers.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The solution using Sigfox<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Based on Sigfox technology, Heliot Europe, in close cooperation with its partners, offers an innovative solution to overcome the aforementioned challenges in managing and tracking shopping carts. Sigfox is a global network for the Internet of Things (IoT) that has been specially developed for the cost-effective and energy-efficient transmission of small amounts of data. This makes it ideal for applications such as shopping cart tracking. <\/p>\n

Advantages of the Sigfox solution<\/strong><\/h4>\n