by Andy Adelson and Richa Gupta | 08/26/2024

 

On Wednesday, August 21st, smart data capture provider Scandit announced its acquisition of the technology of MarketLab, a Polish image recognition and AI software company specializing in the retail industry. Scandit’s solutions run primarily on consumer-grade devices, usually smartphones. MarketLab’s shelf audit automation solution SmartEye, similar to Scandit’s ShelfView, offers fixed camera-based data capture on store shelves. SmartEye also runs on smartphones, but most importantly it runs on cameras mounted in aisles. By integrating these technologies, Scandit will be able to offer a hybrid solution using consumer devices and fixed cameras to monitor shelf availability of products, manage planogram compliance, and more. This will increase the value proposition of ShelfView, while also expanding Scandit’s total addressable market for its shelf monitoring solutions.

MarketLab’s has implemented SmartEye to a small base of Polish retailers, from Carrefour to specialty stores such as a spirits seller named Duzy Ben. MarketLab recommends SmartEye for key shelf monitoring — sections of a store with the highest traffic and turnover, or most expensive or profitable merchandise. Combined with ShelfView, the merged offering will give stores smarter shelf auditing capabilities.

VDC sees at least 25 solution providers that are developing and marketing AI + vision-based technologies for front-of-store retail environments. While the majority focus on improving POS workflows such as produce recognition, loss prevention and self-checkout, others such as Scandit focus instead on the middle of the store, providing shelf intelligence and planogram compatibility. Historically, in-store retail has not been a large vertical for machine vision investments; however, VDC’s research suggests that this is now changing. Scandit’s acquisition is a noteworthy development toward expanding this.

VDC follows this market closely with on-going coverage of point of sale and machine vision technologies and will monitor the impact of Scandit’s acquisition in forthcoming reports. VDC’s recent Camera-Based Scanning report details the business models of Scandit and all other leading SDK vendors. Scandit leads the industry with a model that delivers intelligence and efficiency to broad segments of retail. This acquisition could advance that.

Read our Executive Brief for Camera-Based Scanning Solutions.

Image Source: Scandit