Guest Feature: Operational excellence at Walmart, VF Corporation and Lekkerland with Smart Data Capture
In a world where volatile trade tariffs, labour shortages, and fluctuating demand have become the new normal, adaptability is essential. Retailers are looking not only for ways to work more efficiently today but also to remain competitive tomorrow. A key technology enabling this is Smart Data Capture – a computer vision-based solution that goes far beyond simple scanning.
Smart Data Capture uses the camera on devices (typically smartphones or handheld computers) to scan barcodes, text, IDs or objects — often including multiple inputs or items simultaneously — to enable workflow automation and transform physical retail data into real-time insights. It provides the foundation for efficiency, enables real-time decision-making, and strengthens businesses in a sustainable way.
In retail, scanning is a prerequisite for completing daily tasks efficiently, accurately, and quickly. With associates scanning hundreds of times a day, retailers need to make it an intuitive part of any task or workflow, not an additional task or obstacle. Whether it’s inventory management, order fulfilment, or customer service – fast and reliable data capture is the starting point for every successful action.
Smart Data Capture Is the Foundation of Efficient Work
Whether it’s inventory management, order fulfilment, or customer service – fast and reliable data capture is the starting point for every successful action.
A good example: VF Corp is using Smart Data Capture technology to transform key retail operations — from inventory management and in-store picking to order assembly and clienteling. The impact has been remarkable: store associates are saving up to 60 per cent of their time on traditionally scan-heavy tasks, thanks to the ergonomic new system’s speed and reliability compared to previous hardware scanners. With more accurate inventory data at their fingertips, VF Corp has also seen a measurable lift in omnichannel revenue — proving that operational efficiency directly fuels business growth.
How Smart Data Capture Enables Smart Decisions
Ensuring fast, reliable data capture performance, whatever task, environment, or device a worker is just the starting point. Smart Data Capture capabilities that can innovate workflows for frontline workers is where significant value can be unlocked for retailers across operations at scale.
For example, with simultaneous barcode and text recognition, a worker can capture all label data in a single step – significantly saving time and making data capture up to seven times faster. But the true value of Smart Data Capture lies in what happens after the data is captured:
- Augmented Reality overlays provide visual action prompts right at the point of activity based on real-time data. Employees are guided through processes on the spot – even new or seasonal staff can get up to speed immediately.
- With reliable mobile scanning and access to real-time data have resulted in full inventory visibility for VF Corporation. Store assistants know exactly where an item is in store, even if it hasn’t been fully processed and moved to the shop floor.
From Data to Action
Today, Smart Data Capture is no longer limited to traditional devices like smartphones or handhelds. The ecosystem includes a new generation of hybrid data capture methods: fixed cameras, drones, wearables, smart glasses – depending on the use case, various devices can be deployed.
For example, retailers can use Smart Data Capture-powered shelf intelligence solutions to monitor shelves in stores at scale using object recognition, generate alerts for retailers to action, and help ensure on-shelf availability, planogram compliance and pricing and promotion accuracy. Retailers can deploy a combination of smartphones, fixed cameras, and robots depending on the store format, frequency of the updates, number of SKUs, and various other factors.
With Machine Learning against information overload
However, as data volumes grow, so does the risk of information overload. Some systems generate thousands of alerts per day – a true productivity killer. This is where smart systems come in and act as a co-pilot for workers: combining Smart Data Capture with Machine Learning, they analyse sales figures, inventory, and other key metrics. The goal: generate actionable recommendations and help staff prioritise ROI-relevant tasks. Instead of wading through endless lists, employees know exactly what to focus on next – a real relief in daily operations.
This intelligent data usage pays off in stores as well: Walmart uses Smart Data Capture software to provide staff with real-time information, leading to better out-of-stock detection, optimised order fulfilment, product information lookup, and better customer service.
Staying Flexible in Times of Constant Disruption
Retail today is not only faster but also more unpredictable. Fluctuating demand, supply chain issues, and geopolitical shifts make long-term planning difficult. The good news: those who capture data smartly and use it intelligently gain flexibility – and remain adaptable to market shifts and changing customer expectations.
Smart Data Capture allows processes to scale flexibly, new technologies to be integrated and various device types to be supported. The Smart Data Capture ecosystem is built for diversity, integration, and adaptability:
Lekkerland, one of Europe’s largest wholesalers, enhanced its B2B ordering platform with a Smart Data Capture Web SDK to make the ordering process more simplified and seamless for its customers. The result: a future-proof unified Progressive Web App, high scan performance with a superior UX – and reduced maintenance costs across more than 5,000 business partners.
Powering operational excellence with Scandit
To truly achieve tangible business impact, it isn’t simply the Smart Data Capture technology itself — it’s also how it’s designed, delivered and deployed. Scandit works closely with many of the world’s largest retailers to combine its cutting-edge AI-powered Smart Data Capture capabilities with intuitive, user-friendly interfaces that make adoption seamless, even for non-technical staff, in real-world scenarios across retail operations.
Augmented Reality-guided workflows ensure employees are always one step ahead, context-aware scanning ensures only the right barcode is scanned from a busy shelf, while pre-built solutions accelerate time to value with minimal integration effort. Whether retailers need to scale quickly, integrate with legacy systems, or deploy across diverse device types, Scandit’s flexible architecture makes it easy.
From native mobile apps to lightweight Web SDKs, Smart Data Capture fits into existing ecosystems without disruption — all while future-proofing operations for what’s next. In a landscape where adaptability is everything, Scandit delivers the tools, technology, and intelligence to help retailers thrive — today and tomorrow.
