Sales, marketing and video surveillance: unusual functions of scales in modern stores


    In our blog on Habré we write a lot about technologies used in the retail sector - for example, we told you what modern cash registers can do and what interesting gadgets you can find in the store.

    Today we will talk about another important element of the retail infrastructure - scales. These devices familiar to all have long been used not only for their intended purpose, but also for solving some completely unobvious tasks.

    What scales are in stores and how much does it cost


    Before moving on, we’ll find out what kind of scales modern stores use. Currently, in the retail sector, there are two types of such devices: “store” scales and equipment for utility rooms.

    The first type of scales include:

    • checkout scales;
    • scales for checking by customers;
    • counter scales;
    • suspension scales;
    • self-service scales (touch and touch);
    • portion scales.

    In the back rooms of the store, a variety of scales are also used:

    • Industrial weighing scales: automatically weigh the goods, pack them and print labels.
    • Semi-automatic labelers with weighing function: weigh the goods and print labels, and the packaging is carried out by the operator.
    • Platform scales can be of different sizes: from small, used for weighing boxes, to large, withstanding tons of weight.

    The final set of weighing equipment depends on the type of store. If the store is large, then it may need different types of devices. In hypermarkets, a significant part of the weighing equipment is located on the trading floor for the convenience of customers and speed up the service process. Conveyor-type industrial weighing scales are used for “semi-like” rooms-aquariums, where they are used to pack goods (meat, cheese, fish). A good example is the Ohaus Defender 3000 scale. In the utility rooms, a scale is installed to work with incoming goods - goods are imported by trucks, so the equipment must be able to handle serious weight. We are talking, for example, about the scales CAS DB-II.

    Fully equipping a hypermarket with all the necessary weighing equipment is expensive, so many companies are trying to save on devices of any type. For example, a store can use equipment worth more than 500 thousand rubles for utility rooms, but save on cash scales by installing cheap Chinese or Korean devices for 6-8 thousand rubles. The total price of the scales for the self-service area and the trading floor reaches several hundred thousand rubles.

    Marketing and sales: what scales can do


    At first glance, it seems that the scales in the store have only one function - they help to know the weight of the goods. But modern devices can also act as a marketing tool and increase revenue. First of all, this applies to scales equipped with graphic screens of different sizes.

    For example, a lot of self-service scales now not only show data on the goods being weighed, but also broadcast ads during periods of inactivity. Also, some devices are equipped with a second screen, which constantly displays important announcements for the store.



    Another interesting mechanism is the demonstration of stock data on the same screen, which displays information about the weight of the goods. For example, if a buyer weighs cucumbers, the system may show him a notification about discounts on tomatoes nearby. The settings for such advertising are quite flexible, for example, scales are able to recommend products that go well with each other in a salad.

    On all scales and other retail devices with screens, the store can display general advertising of available stocks. If you need to notify customers that a discount for milk is currently in effect, then information about this can be displayed on all screens in the room - this is an effective way to attract attention. This is due to the fact that often all the weighing equipment in hypermarkets is tied to the general local network of the store, either through an Ethernet connection or via Wi-Fi.



    Also recently, the technology of the so-called label without a backing or “endless label” has gained popularity. When using it, the retail equipment that prints labels - various types of scales belong to it - can enter not only product data, but also promotional information on it. An example is holding stocks with coupons. They can be printed on the receipt for the purchase, upon presentation to the next visit to the store, the buyer will receive a discount.

    Another scenario is to print on the product label a recipe for a dish in which it can be used. Taking this step, stores are trying to expand the check, pushing the customer to buy the missing products for cooking.

    What else: hardware synchronization


    In addition to the main application and marketing functions, the scales are able to bring additional benefits. This can be achieved by synchronizing them with other equipment used in the store. An example of such a bundle is the synchronization of scales in the Self-checkout system with video surveillance. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of cases of fraud in the store and save on staff (it is not required that each Self-checkout control a separate guard). Moreover, the camera can be either installed above the self-service area or integrated directly into the scales, as is done with ATMs.



    The scales can also be synchronized with electronic price tags.. This allows you to save effort on prescribing price tags for weighted goods - immediately after an employee weighs meat or fish, the price of this piece will be automatically calculated and displayed.

    How-to: how to choose a scale for a store


    In conclusion - a few tips from the experts of the company "Pilot" on choosing weights for the store:

    • The balance must be used for its intended purpose. There is no need to try to lay heavy loads on the checkout scale in the back room, and weigh the pieces of beef in the aquarium room with the self-service scales. Not only can devices fail from improper use, but you still will not use all of their functionality. Instead, relatively speaking, you will chop nuts with a royal seal.

    • It is important to think about reliability and ease of connection. When choosing scales, pay attention to how they will be synchronized with the store’s internal systems and whether they can work in a harmonious combination with cash registers and other peripherals. It is important that the balance has a large variety of synchronization protocols. For example, Dibal DPOS400 has 40 protocols and the ability to connect via COM and USB.

    • It is not always worth overpaying for additional features. There are checkout scales equipped with a swivel rack, which displays additional information about the weight of the product and its cost per kilogram. Of course, they cost more than scales that do not have a rack. However, it is far from the fact that this rack is really needed. The fact is that the client is not comfortable looking at her. It is better to display information on the monitor of the cashier’s buyer - this is more informative. In addition, scales with a rack take up more space, and the space of the cash register is already noticeably limited, and many other devices must be entered into it.

    • In the self-service area, the most important thing is the size of the display. The client wants to solve his problem as quickly as possible, and a large screen helps in this. For example, on a large screen you can show not only the interface of the weighing system, but also display codes of popular products. Thus, the buyer will be able to weigh everything that is needed at a time, and not approach the scales separately with each product.

    • Weights with an operator preferably have a second screen. If only a store employee can weigh a product, then while a customer waits, it’s logical to show him important stock announcements or advertising on the second screen.

    • Scales should reduce the amount of manual labor. Industrial conveyor-type scales must require minimal human participation in their work. The ideal option is when store employees only cut the goods and put them on the scales, and weighing, label printing and packaging are carried out automatically using one complex, rather than several devices.

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