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Retail organizations have traditionally invested huge sums in weighty, industrial handheld computers to track their inventory. But now, streamlined, unlocked devices are emerging as a low-cost, versatile alternative inventory management solution in the retail warehouse.
Retailers are embracing a shift to ruggedized, unlocked smartphones and ruggedized tablets because they deliver many of the same capabilities as industrial handheld computers, but with a number of inherent advantages. According to VDC, the rugged smartphone market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 8 percent, reaching $3.8 billion by 2020.
Retail Under Pressure
Fast, flexible inventory handling operations are key at a time when consumer expectations have grown sky high. E-commerce leaders continually raise the bar in fulfillment, rapidly moving from two-day to next-day to now even same-day delivery in many regions. Naturally, that puts pressure on all retailers — whether it be e-commerce pure-plays who must match that velocity, omnichannel retailers required to achieve those service levels while also ensuring stores are well stocked, or start-ups and small and midsize retailers without sufficient resources to automate fulfillment.
To complete, retailers need to be more nimble than ever in how they leverage their inventory. Many are establishing alternative stocking locations to place goods close to anticipated demand. In addition to warehouses, retailers are setting up mini-warehouses in urban areas, fulfilling e-commerce orders from store stock, and even converting former stores into satellite warehouses, year-round or to support seasonal surges.
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No matter where they place the goods, though, the needs are the same. Warehouse staff must be able to quickly and accurately receive, put away, pick, pack and ship merchandise, as well as perform inventory maintenance activities such as cycle counting. All of these activities are dispatched and performed via mobile devices, so workers must carry them everywhere, through long shifts — no matter where they are assigned to work that day.
Unlocked Phones in the Warehouse
Retailers are discovering that ruggedized, unlocked phones and ruggedized tablets are smart alternatives to costly, heavy industrial handheld computers for dynamic warehouse needs. Unlocked devices offer several important advantages:
Unlocked devices are the next generation in retail inventory management solutions. Rugged design, better security, easier support, faster training and a consistent, reliable platform are the right fit for the demanding conditions and tech-savvy workforce needs of today’s high-pressure, high-velocity retail warehouse.
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