BJ's rolls out AI-driven, inventory-tracking robots across all its locations

BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings Inc. is streamlining shelf management activities with artificial intelligence (AI)-based robots.

The membership warehouse club retailer is deploying the Simbe Robotics Tally AI-based robotic solution across all stores. The robots will autonomously roam store aisles multiple times per day, leveraging computer vision technology to collect shelf data to help ensure that products are in-stock, shelved appropriately, and accurately priced.

Equipped with real-time shelf data provided by the Tally solution, BJ’s hopes to enable faster restocking, direct store associates to quickly locate products, and obtain better visibility into inventory tracking. In addition, BJ’s will review data captured by Tally robots to help monitor store conditions and the accuracy of merchandising execution.

“We are excited to collaborate with Simbe to bring their industry-leading technology and platform to our clubs,” said Jeff Desroches, executive VP, COO, BJ’s Wholesale Club. “By deploying Tally in all of our club locations, we will gain unprecedented insights which will leverage real-time data, enabling us to continuously improve our operation and ensure that we’re offering the best possible experience to both our team members and members.”

“BJ’s Wholesale Club and its executive leadership are committed to providing the best experience possible for both team and club members, and our platform unlocks actionable data that will take that mission to the next level,” said Brad Bogolea, CEO, Simbe. “Our team has partnered with BJ’s to refine our computer vision technology to accommodate the unique layout and product assortment in a warehouse club. By leveraging Tally to automate inventory tracking, BJ’s will gain transformative visibility that will inform decisions, improve operations, and provide even greater value to members.”

Headquartered in Marlborough, Mass., BJ’s pioneered the warehouse club model in New England in 1984. The company currently operates 237 clubs and 165 BJ’s Gas locations in 18 states.

Wakefern, Hy-Vee, Schnucks automate shelf tracking with robots

Wakefern Food Corp., which operates the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners, is also utilizing Simbe Robotics Tally robots. Similar to BJ’s, robots autonomously roam store aisles of Wakefern banners up to three times per day, leveraging computer vision technology to scan products to ensure they are in-stock, in the correct location, and accurately priced on the sales floor.

[Read more: Shop Rite parent to monitor store shelves with AI robots]

Two other regional grocers, Hy-Vee Inc. and Schnuck Markets, have also deployed Simbe Robotics Tally robots in their stores to automate the capture of on-shelf data including inventory position, price accuracy, and promotional execution.