Friendly Technologies e-STORE (Electronic, Secure Tracking of Objects in the Retail Environment)

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The aim of e-STORE is to create a prototype tracking system capable of: (a) securely and continuously monitoring product items, (b) providing their approximate location in real-time (i.e. immediately); and (c) instantaneously detecting their movement. Leveraging on these capabilities, e-STORE also aims to foster commercial innovations, specifically in the fashion retail industry where significant business opportunities have been identified.Online fashion retail has recently captured a large and growing share of the fashion market, profiting from its convenience, richer product information, and superior business intelligence.However, online shopping lacks the “real life” experience (touch, feel and try), is riskier for shoppers and retailers, and cannot offer instant product ownership. The commercialinnovations enabled and addressed by e-STORE relate to: (a) bringing valuable aspects of online shopping to brick-and-mortar stores and (b) enhancing item traceability. By instantly detecting when items are moved (e.g. picked up or replaced) our system creates a vital real life in-store equivalent to clicking on an item online, activating valuable customer applications that can offer product information, enable customers to search for alternative/matching products, display purchasing options etc.e-STORE also aims to enhance item traceability within stores and enable novel stock control, security and business intelligence applications; increasing store sales through higher product availability and reducing store costs through greater operational efficiency and reduced shrinkage.The key objectives of e-STORE are:• Develop and design a prototype of the proposed tracking system• Jointly with selected customers, develop and trial sample applications• Build a demonstrator to show system functionality, applications and advantages• Devise a marketing strategy, test and identify the routes to market• Enhance Intellectual Property Rights