Drones are expected to play a key role in the expansion of retail market in the coming years. The competitive pressure pushes retailers and distributors to develop new ways to make their supply chains more efficient. Be it the US largest internet retailer Amazon or Global e-commerce giant Alibaba, all are turning their interest in the usage of drones in business. So, here are some ways in which drones are shaking up the retail industry
Security
Security is an important issue in retail world. Cameras and security guards are not enough to control theft. So drones are being used in order to check each and every corner and area which cannot be done by guards. Also, if someone is caught stealing then the device can perform a dual task of alerting the authorities while continuing to follow the thief.
Transportation or Deliveries
It is the most important issue which can be solved to a great extent with the aerial technology. Recently we saw an example of drone delivery when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos demonstrated this technology on 60 minutes. Drones can help retailers in two ways. Firstly, consumers can get their products more quickly and secondly, it will lower the cost of different products. Delivery through drones will enable retailers to take products into their own hands, resulting in saving money which can be very well used to offer lower prices to consumers by retailers.
Also Read: An Aerial View of the Future – Drones in Construction
Checking the stock
Drones can also be used to check stock kept in a warehouse and secure items far more quickly than a human can do. It is also helpful in bringing new items out when they see an item is starting to run low on the shelf.
Observing consumer behavior
Drones can also play a big role in understanding consumer shopping behavior. Flying high with camera enables them to capture consumer movement as where they are going which is very helpful for retailers in studying how to better layout the floor space which will attract the customers.
Photography
For marketing retailers always need photos. Some of them cannot hire professional photographers as they are quite expensive. This problem can also be sorted out with the use of drones as they can move anywhere and can grab a bird’s- eye shot or a floor level photo very easily and in a limited budget.
So, we can say that today the use of drones in retail market is less but its demand is increasing rapidly which will change the world of retail sector forever reducing both time and cost.
Also Read: Innovating drone technology in India for a vibrant economy and sustainable development
