Robotics in Retail and Apparel - Thematic Intelligence

Robotics in Retail and Apparel - Thematic Intelligence

Summary

Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots. Robots are machines capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, either programmed by a computer or using artificial intelligence (AI). Robotics is used by retailers in warehouses, in-store, and for improving the logistics and delivery process. The leading adopters of robotics in retail and apparel are investing in logistics robots, industrial co-bots, and inspection, cleaning, and maintenance robots, to automate operations and improve efficiency.

This thematic report takes an in-depth look at the importance of robotics to the retail and apparel sector. Firstly, the value chain section provides an in-depth description of each segment of robotics and outlines the specialist vendors and leading adopters of robotics in the retail and apparel sector.

The challenges section outlines the key challenges currently faced by the retail and apparel sector. This is followed by an impact assessment detailing the areas in robotics where retail companies should focus and outlines how these challenges have accelerated the need for robotics.

The case study section highlights the deployment of robots within retail and apparel.

A data analysis section provides market size and growth forecasts, mergers and acquisition activity analysis, a robotics timeline, and insight into patents, company filings, and hiring trends.

Finally, the report profiles companies making their mark within the theme.

Robotics can help address the various challenges retailers face, such as the need to profile customers, achieve greater personalization, understand market trends, and improve operational efficiency. According to GlobalData forecasts, the global robotics market was worth $45.8 billion in 2020 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29% between 2020 and 2030, reaching $568 billion by 2030.

Robotics is increasingly being used by high-growth industry leaders to improve warehouse efficiency, streamline their logistics and supply chain networks, and enable shorter delivery times for customers. Industrial robots are used in retail warehouses to take on heavy and repetitive tasks and co-bots are increasingly being used to work alongside human workers to process orders. Drones are also filling gaps in delivery systems, including reaching isolated areas.

Retailers are also adopting robotics instore to help converge online and offline retail. Managing store inventory is a major problem for many retailers, with inaccurate tracking leading to lost revenue. Robots can solve this problem through constant stock-taking and shelf audits, identifying stock shortages. As robotics becomes more technologically advanced and artificial intelligence (AI) develops, the level of accuracy in tasks undertaken by robots will consistently grow and create new efficiencies for retailers.

Scope

• An overview of the robotics value chain including leaders and challengers for each sub-segment.
• A breakdown of the key challenges in the retail and apparel industry, and how robotics technologies can help to solve them.
• Market size and growth forecasts for robotics split into segments.
• Case studies showing the use cases for robotics across the retail and apparel industry.
• Analysis of alternative data including company filing, patent, and hiring activity.
• A review of the leading adopters of robotics in retail and apparel, the specialist robotics vendors for retail and apparel, and the leading robotics vendors cross-industry.
• Thematic scorecards ranking leading retail and apparel companies on their involvement in key themes, including robotics.

• To understand robotics and its current and future impact on the retail and apparel industry.
• To understand how key challenges the retail and apparel sector faces have accelerated the need for the deployment of robotics.
• To identify the leading robotics adopters and specialist robotics vendors.
• GlobalData’s thematic research ecosystem is a single, integrated global research platform that provides an easy-to-use framework for tracking all themes across all companies in all sectors. It has a proven track record of identifying important themes early, enabling companies to make the right investments ahead of the competition, and securing that all-important competitive advantage.