AVA retail Announces Shopping Made Easy, with AVA SmoothShop

AVA retail is excited to announce the immediate availability of AVA SmoothShop™. This IoT solution uses Microsoft Azure to empower retailers to deliver truly frictionless shopping for their customers.

For the shopper, it’s as easy as one-two-three. Log in with your phone, pick up your products, and walk out of the store. No waiting in check-out lines, or even any self-checkout. The IoT Sensor fusion, built with AVA retail technology as the cornerstone, tracks the shopper and all the items selected in a virtual shopping cart. When the shopper leaves the store, the cart is transferred to the app on their phone, and the payment is processed.

Through this digital transformation of physical retail, the retailer is introducing a truly ground-breaking shopping experience, all while capturing shopper data and insights that they’ve never had before. Store associates that were once behind the checkout counter can now be on the floor, helping customers. Retailers can expect high sales volume and revenue from this more compelling shopping experience, as well as more efficient staffing models to drive higher margins.

“Retailers globally are already investing in the digital transformation of their stores, looking for ways to both learn more about their in-store shoppers and find ways to enhance that shopping experience to better compete with the e-tail shopping experience,” said Atul Hirpara, CEO of AVA retail. “Our company has been leveraging IoT technology, computer vision and sensor fusion, powered by Microsoft Azure, to solve these problems since its founding in 2015. AVA SmoothShop is the natural evolution of that effort.”

This solution has been in a fully functioning pilot in San Francisco since October, 2017. The technology is now commercially available and was just on display in live demos at The National Retail Federation Big Show, January 14-16, in New York City.

Bharat Popat, Retail Industry Solutions Director, at Microsoft Corp. says: “AVA retail has been a trusted partner of Microsoft and our Retail Industry team for several years. Their IoT-based shopper analytics solution has been a key part of Microsoft’s Retail solutions portfolio for consumer shopping experiences, and this AVA Analytics and SmartTrack technology plays a prominent role for delivering new shopping experiences”.

“Microsoft Azure is the secure, scalable cloud solution and it is our preferred cloud platform as we commercialize our frictionless shopping solution,” said Atul Hirpara. “In this solution, we use Microsoft Azure Machine Learning, Azure IoT, Azure SQL Database and Azure HDInsight”.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

AVA retail is a Redmond, Washington based company that provides actionable insights by digitally transforming brick-and-mortar retail to deliver more profitable and engaging customer experiences. AVA retail brings true parity to physical retailers to what the top e-tailers can do, making them competitive again. Why can’t a retailer track every shopper as they travel through the store and interact with products? Why can’t they track dwell time and paths? Why can’t they deliver insights and predictions, in real time and over time?

The answer is, with AVA retail they can. AVA retail leverages IoT sensors to digitally transform physical retail locations, creating digital footprints of in-store shoppers, store associates and store inventory that was not available before. AVA retail then converts this data into insights through their Analytics dashboard, empowering retailers and CPG companies to create better shopper experiences, better staffing efficiency, and higher sales conversion.

This high fidelity dna analysis of retail shoppers is made possible through the proprietary fusion and placement of sensors by AVA retail, and the Azure cloud-enabled Artificial Intelligence converts this data into actionable insights. AVA retail leverages existing camera and sensor infrastructure, combined with new sensors where necessary, to implement the ideal retailer solution. Shoppers are tracked anonymously, unless they choose to be identified through a mobile login process. Vision-based tracking, combined with other sensors, enables retailers to gain a more complete understanding of their shopper behavior, versus technologies that rely exclusively on tracking phone signals.

Data, Digitization and the Smart Store

Stores are becoming increasingly more connected. The Internet of Things will allow retailers to transform their brick and mortar locations to offer more contextual and efficient consumer experiences. Consumers can expect more frictionless shopping, which will be as simple as walking into a store, selecting what they want, and then walking away. The payment will happen securely and seamlessly behind the scenes. Technology helps digitize the physical world, opening the door for retailers to gain unique visibility into data that was historically unavailable or inaccessible. These newly available insights can be instrumental in enhancing customer service and product level decisions. Data is transforming the physical into digital.

That’s why Mastercard and AVA retail are teaming up. Together we will provide retailers with the same level of analytics in-store that are available in the e-commerce environment, enabling them to know not just what their customers ultimately buy, but also see where they are spending their time and what items they are browsing.

All of this can be made available real-time, giving a retailer the ability to offer more dynamic pricing and product selection, and more effectively measure campaigns. In addition, retailers can use this insight to drive greater efficiency within their store operations as well as look to drive increased throughput by better anticipating and serving their customers’ needs. Of course, security and consumer privacy are foundational, which is why we are focused on enabling these types of insights based on aggregated and anonymized data.  Building on the leading digital technologies of both Mastercard and AVA retail, together we are enabling the transformation of brick and mortar.

At NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show, we will showcase a truly unique frictionless shopping experience, deployed today as a pilot in San Francisco, that will bring the in-store analytics to life for retailers. By leveraging our combined capabilities — Mastercard provides security, analytics, and digital payment assets, along with AVA retail’s deep expertise in computer vision, sensor fusion, digitization, and retail analytics — we enable retailers to drive innovative shopping experiences with positive bottom line impact.

Our shared vision is that the shopping experience can be both better and smarter, for both the consumer and the retailer. Consumers will benefit from personalized, contextualized and seamless shopping experiences, while retailers will create stronger connections with consumers that lead to increased conversions and loyalty to their brand. As data transforms the physical into digital – both consumers and retailers will benefit. We can’t wait to see what happens next.

From: Mastercard Blog

WeWork testing AVA retail technology for honesty market stores

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It might look like they’re just sitting down at a desk, but a select group of WeWork members is actually helping to test out the office of the future.

These individuals — from newly minted startups, growing tech companies, and well-established corporations — are part of the Enterprise Innovation Lab, a partnership between WeWork and Mastercard. They’ll be testing out new technology that will transform the workplace into a digitally connected environment.

Part of WeWork’s vision for the future of work, the new technology will make payment even easier. When members need a place to work, they can walk into a WeWork location and settle in at whatever hot desk they want. If they need a snack to help them power through, they can make a selection at the nearby Honesty Market. And they’ll be able to do all of this without once reaching for their wallet.

“The vision is to create a work environment that can be personalized and where access to facilities, equipment and supplies is seamless,” said Stephane Wyper, Mastercard’s Senior Vice President, New Commerce Partnerships and Commercialization. And all this will happen, he says, without sacrificing security.

This is the first pilot of Mastercard’s new service to add connectivity to shared spaces. It can create smart environments in any location that has multiple occupants or users — not just co-working spaces, but can also extend to apartment and office buildings, gyms and health clubs, and vacation rentals. It is being developed and deployed in partnership with AVA retail and Cisco.

For WeWork, it means making it easier for members to focus on what’s important to them.

“As WeWork grows its global network that allows people to pursue their life’s work with ease, we believe that technology is a powerful tool that can be leveraged to create more meaningful and efficient experiences,” said Shiva Rajaraman, WeWork’s Chief Product Officer.

All this is possible through IoT technology. It’s about building spaces where people can connect to each other and create meaning together — all the while using space more effectively and efficiently.

Mastercard’s technology has two components. The first is a pay-as-you-go pricing model that lets members pay for the exact amount of time they use a desk or a conference room. This could help members save money by letting them pay only for the amount of time they use the facility.

Here’s how it works: When a member walks into a WeWork space, they will be prompted to open an app and verify their identify with a fingerprint. When they leave the area, their session will end and they will automatically be charged for only the time they used.

The second component is a frictionless retail experience that allows members to pick up any item from the Honesty Market without having to pull out a physical or digital wallet for payments. All they need to do authenticate themselves once and payment will be automatic for the items they have chosen when they leave the area.

Rajamaran said that he’s excited that members of the Enterprise Innovation Lab are part of this experiment.

“WeWork is focused on enhancing business opportunities for our members,” he said, “so we’re thrilled to test these new product offerings with members of the community that are dedicated to the future of commerce.”

The Enterprise Innovation Lab was announced last month. Working from San Francisco’s WeWork 600 California Street, members of the program get access to mentorship opportunities, sponsored memberships, and other perks. New members are brought into the program on a rolling basis.

Mastercard and WeWork Test the Future of Work and Commerce

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Mastercard is leveraging its IoT solutions for shared spaces to create smart environments in locations with multiple occupants or users including co-working spaces, apartment and office buildings, college campuses, fitness clubs and vacation rentals.

Now Mastercard is partnering with WeWork to see if its office space/sharing model can benefit from the global payments giant’s technology—and vice versa—and much more.

Confirming earlier reports, the two companies are inviting startups to apply to their co-branded digitally connected environment at WeWork’s Enterprise Innovation Lab; in San Francisco. The state of the art hub incorporates Internet of Things, data analytics, digital payments and other technologies from Mastercard for “a seamless and fully digitized experience for WeWork members.”

One of these capabilities will be metered payments for desk usage, charging WeWork members only for the amount of time they actually use the desk. And in the on-premises “Honesty Market,” WeWork members will be able to purchase any item via Mastercard’s contactless technology, creating a seamless experience without having to physically pay with a card.

“The vision is to create a work environment that can be personalized and where access to facilities, equipment and supplies is seamless without sacrificing security,” Sherri Haymond, vice president of digital partnerships for Mastercard, said in a press release.

“We partnered with WeWork because it shares our vision, and its shared spaces enable us to gain real-time insights into the effectiveness of the products and to understand just how people are interacting with the technologies.” (Cisco and AVA retail are also involved.)

Shiva Rajaraman, Chief Product Officer of WeWork, added, “As WeWork grows its global network, we believe that technology is a powerful tool we can use to create more meaningful and efficient experiences. With Mastercard, we’ve introduced new service capabilities that can improve our members’ daily lives and allow for greater flexibility within individual WeWork spaces and throughout our global platform. We’re thrilled to test these new product offerings with members of the community that are dedicated to the future of commerce.”

“WeWork and Mastercard will engage with the greater tech community to share ideas and collaborate across diverse sets of emerging technology areas, like the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, artificial intelligence and related technologies,” WeWork elaborated in a blog post. “That means we’re inviting creators from all over to join in our innovation efforts at WeWork Labs and work with Mastercard to redesign how we live, work and play.”

Both brands are using the partnership to expand their own limits beyond ‘payments’ and ‘workspaces’ — “Mastercard and WeWork are focused on creating a connected global community. It’s no secret that the nature of the way we live, work and interact with each other is changing. Nearly all aspects of life are made easier through smart devices, enabling flexible lifestyle all around. WeWork’s mission is to help create a world where people work to make a life, not just a living, which means we promote flexibility and technologies that can help us achieve our goals. We are constantly striving to support our members with the tools and resources they need to create their life’s work. The Enterprise Innovation Lab is yet another example of our commitment.”

To participate, innovators and companies must complete an application form.

“WeWork, with Mastercard’s support, will host selected applicants at the Enterprise Innovation Lab free of charge for five months. Companies that are selected will also get access to mentorship opportunities and numerous benefits from the WeWork network to develop their own projects. They’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with Mastercard in the digital space. And those in the space will also have the opportunity to directly use innovative IoT technologies that Mastercard and WeWork will be jointly testing at the Innovation Lab with other leading tech players.”

The bigger picture inspiration for the partnership: “WeWork and Mastercard believe that the future of business and technology is one where many come together to collaborate. By having diverse perspectives and different strengths, we can create an ecosystem of open innovation that meaningfully impacts the future. We want to connect our communities with meaningful opportunities so that we can be better together and create the future together.”

Mastercard and WeWork Shape the Future of Shared Spaces

The two companies are collaborating with AVA retail and Cisco to build and test technologies that will redesign how people live, work and play

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO – October 5, 2017-- Mastercard and WeWork are creating a digitally-connected environment at WeWork 600 California Street in San Francisco by deploying Internet of Things (IoT) technologies that will reshape how people live, work and play.

Mastercard is adding two new solutions to areas within WeWork 600 California Street to create a seamless and fully digitized experience for WeWork members:

● A metered payment capability for WeWork hot desks. Members are automatically charged for only the amount of time they actually use the desk. This pilot solution, powered by the Cisco Kinetic™ IoT data platform, makes the process seamless and cost effective to members. At the same time it allows WeWork to create more flexible offerings and apply pricing based on real-time utilization of WeWork desk space.

● A frictionless retail experience in WeWork’s Honesty Market that leverages AVA SmoothShop™ from AVA retail and offers WeWork members the ability to purchase any item from the market without having to pull out a physical or digital wallet for payments.

Each of the solutions leverages a variety of Mastercard technologies such as digital payments, analytics, security, and loyalty, and bundles them with specialized IoT hardware and cloud software from leading technology players and innovative startups.

“The vision is to create a work environment that can be personalized and where access to facilities, equipment and supplies is seamless without sacrificing security,” said Sherri Haymond, executive vice president, Digital Partnerships, Mastercard. “We partnered with WeWork because it shares our vision, and its shared spaces enable us to gain real-time insights into the effectiveness of the products and to understand just how people are interacting with the technologies.”

This is the first in-market pilot of a new service that Mastercard is testing to enable seamless experiences in work environments and communal spaces. Mastercard’s IoT solutions for shared spaces can be used to create smart environments in locations with multiple occupants or users including co-working spaces, apartment and office buildings, college campuses, fitness clubs, and vacation rentals. It is being developed in collaboration with AVA retail and Cisco.

Members of WeWork’s Enterprise Innovation Lab, who are located in WeWork 600 California Street, will test the technologies. These innovators from up and coming startups in the San Francisco area will help inform the solutions, as well as get access to meaningful mentorship opportunities and guidance from executives at Mastercard.

Shiva Rajaraman, Chief Product Officer of WeWork, added, “As WeWork grows its global network, we believe that technology is a powerful tool we can use to create more meaningful and efficient experiences. With Mastercard, we’ve introduced new service capabilities that can improve our members’ daily lives and allow for greater flexibility within individual WeWork spaces and throughout our global platform. We’re thrilled to test these new product offerings with members of the community that are dedicated to the future of commerce.”

About Mastercard

Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

About WeWork

WeWork is a community for creators, providing more than 150,000 members around the world with space, community, and services through both physical and virtual offerings. WeWork’s mission is to help create a world where people work to make a life, not just a living. WeWork currently has more than 160 physical locations in more than 50 cities and 16 countries around the world. WeWork was founded in New York City in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey. Follow us @WeWork on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook or visit www.wework.com to find out more.

Additional Quotes

“We are excited to be partnering with Mastercard to light up frictionless retail,” said Atul Hirpara, CEO AVA retail. “The in-store IoT-based tracking expertise of AVA SmoothShop, combined with Mastercard’s mobile-based payment system, is enabling a magical shopping experience for the WeWork members.” “The Cisco Kinetic IoT platform enables enterprises to accelerate their path from proof of concept to implementation, while giving our partners a powerful foundation on which to build new high-value services. The metered hot desk pilot at WeWork is a great example of how Cisco Kinetic helps companies create customer benefits and business value out of data from IoT devices. We are excited to explore what more we can do with WeWork and Mastercard.” – Jahangir Mohammed, VP & GM of IoT at Cisco

Mastercard Communications Contact

Robyn Cottelli
robyn.cottelli@mastercard.com

WeWork Communications Contact

Rebecca McClain
rebecca.mcclain@wework.com

Source Mastercard Newsroom

AVA Retail @ “Retail’s BIG Show”

NRF’s (National Retail Federation) Annual Convention & Expo or widely known as “Retail’s Big Show” is NRF’s flagship industry event held in New York City every year. The BIG Show is an event that offers unparalleled education, collegial networking and an enormous expo hall full of technologies and solutions.

The event presents visionary leaders with game-changing ideas to help elevate your perspective of the industry and your business - then put this knowledge into motion. At the BIG Show, the entire horizon of possibilities available to get you to the next level come into focus as you explore innovative ideas and insights from your peers, partners and competitors.

Since many years, AVA Retail has been a part of the event and has delivered powerful insights for Store Executives, Shopper Value Apps, Omni-Channel Marketing Solutions for Campaign Managers and Mobile Solution for Associates.

As a product, AVA Retail is a comprehensive retail solution that leverages shelf and floor analytics and in-store shopper data to boost sales and conversion rates, while enhancing shopper lifetime value and net promoter score. Our company revolutionizes visual merchandising with dynamic content as per shopper actions and provides live tele-assistance kiosks for exceptional in-store experience.

AVA Retail is a fully interactive, engaging technology that not only provides vital information for consumers but is playing a vital role in the interactive industry.

AVA Retail in OnWindows

Making the store more compelling

We hear from AVA Retail’s Atul Hirpara about how sensors, depth-sensing cameras and more can provide the in-store analytics retailers need to transform the shopping experience.

By Rebecca Gibson

Understanding customers and how to cater to their needs is key to retail success, particularly in an age where fewer people are visiting high-street stores. 

   “Online shopping sources have put a lot of competitive pressure on traditional retailers recently, so many are looking for ways to make the in-store experience more compelling,” says Atul Hirpara, executive at AVA Retail. “Today’s shoppers are incredibly web-savvy. Roughly half of Western consumers use smartphones to check prices while in store, so it’s more important than ever to engage with customers both online and in the physical world.”

  To make the in-store experience more engaging for customers and more productive for store associates, many retailers are implementing analytics and other data-driven technologies.

    “Most people wouldn’t dream of launching an e-commerce site without deploying web analytics to track sales, page views and popular items, and AVA provides the interactive technology that retailers need to access the same data in their physical stores,” comments Hirpara. “Our solutions enable retailers to encourage in-store sales by sending real-time coupons to customers’ smartphones via beacons or near field communications technology. We even offer interactive kiosks that allow shoppers to learn about products or video chat with a specialist.”

    AVA’s various infrared and proprietary sensors provide retailers with powerful analytical data about the number of people visiting a store, the aisles they visited, the routes they took and even the indiviual products they looked at. 

    “For example, our technology can show a retailer that the highest footfall is recorded on Tuesday afternoons when it’s raining, or that people frequently avoid a particular department,” Hirpara explains. “This type of actionable intelligence, which can be viewed online via Microsoft Power BI, helps retailers become more efficient.” 

  AVA also offers interactive experiences for consumers that are built on internet of things technology, such as Smart Shelf. Built using sensors and AVA’s digital content management system, Smart Shelf provides consumers with a better contextual and just-in-time content delivery platform.

    “A retailer could use Smart Shelf to create a video advertisement for a new perfume that starts playing whenever a customer enters the fragrance section of a store, then as they pick up a sample, instantly triggers a display showing relevant content,” says Hirpara.

    AVA’s technology collects data about how often each product is picked up, how long consumers spend looking at it and its purchase history.

 “This makes the shopping experience fun and engaging for customers, and provides retailers with valuable analytics data about consumer behaviour,”enthuses Hirpara. “It sounds very complex, but with our software stack and Microsoft Azure, we’re able to quickly build and deploy immersive experiences for retailers worldwide.