The Connected Store Holy Grail: Synthesising Physical and Digital Retail for Trillion-Pound Value (Part 2: The Batteryless Future) VusionGroup
The Connected Store requires a hashtagUnifiedRetailOperatingSystem, moving beyond fragmented projects. hashtagVusionGroup’s unique proposition is built on the hashtagEdgeSenseAiPlatform—a living, batteryless data backbone that generates the most granular, real-time data source in physical retail.’ MWB Advisory
1. The AI-Native Data Spine & Operational Excellence
EdgeSense is more than a shelf label system; it’s an AI-native infrastructure rooted in the shelf edge. It leverages ultra-precise geolocation and Bluetooth-LE connectivity across every node to create a real-time, 3D Digital Twin of the store
This precision directly translates to massive operational gains. It powers staff-facing workflows like Pick-by-Light and Replenishment-by-Light, where light signals on ESLs guide associates directly to products, eliminating walking time and boosting fulfilment accuracy
• Retailer: “The true game-changer isn’t the digital label itself, but the integrated rail system that gives us real-time, granular control over every product location. That’s the difference between a project and an operating system.” – Global Retail CTO
2. Monetisation and the Batteryless Mandate
The continuous stream of spatio-temporal data—detailing product location, inventory shifts, and staff productivity—is the retailer’s most valuable new asset. VusionGroup’s In The Memory (Retail Intelligence) platform harnesses this to fuel the high-margin Retail Media Network (RMN). This provides the industry with the capability to sell verifiable, hyper-localised campaign performance data back to suppliers (The Biggest Data Source Monetisation).
• Industry View: “The EdgeSense backbone is the key to unlocking the full potential of our physical Retail Media network, delivering hyper-personalised messaging precisely where the purchasing decision is made.” – VP of In-Store Monetisation, Major Retail Group.
Crucially, the entire system is built on a batteryless connected store architecture, addressing the core challenges of scalability and sustainability.
• Unparalleled Sustainability (ESG Impact): “ESG is now firmly in the finance office, not just the marketing department. Eliminating millions of batteries across a store estate is a tangible, measurable sustainability win that dramatically reduces risk and attracts responsible investment.” – Global Head of Retail Strategy.
• Reduced Total Cost of Ownership: “We project that the move to batteryless systems will reduce store maintenance labour hours by over 60% compared to legacy IoT rollouts, shifting high-value colleagues back to customer service.” – Senior Partner, Operations Practice.
‘EdgeSense AI, by VusionGroup, is the future-proof architecture providing the foundation for sustainable operations, enhanced productivity, and unprecedented data monetisation in physical retail.
