Robots Haven’t Taken Over Retail—Yet

Innovation in Automation Drives the Forecast for 2022 and Beyond

Report by Yoram Wurmser  | Oct 21, 2022
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Key Points
Retail Automation Shifts From Vision to Reality
Innovation and Consumer Pressures Push Adoption
Retailers Are Rethinking the Fundamentals
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Retailers are increasingly turning toward drones, robots, and automated systems to improve fulfillment and the in-store customer experience (CX).
Topics
Technology
Retail Sales
US
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Key Points
Retail Automation Shifts From Vision to Reality
Innovation and Consumer Pressures Push Adoption
Retailers Are Rethinking the Fundamentals
Read Next
Sources
Media Gallery

Executive Summary

When Jeff Bezos mused in 2015 about delivery drones being as common as mail trucks, the concept still seemed to be part of a faraway future. Well, the future has arrived. Amazon expects to start delivering with drones by the end of 2022, adding to its arsenal of automated tools. Meanwhile, robots in stores and fulfillment centers are becoming critical parts of retail industry operations and key opportunities to improve the customer experience (CX).

3 KEY QUESTIONS THIS REPORT WILL ANSWER

  1. How extensive is retail automation?
  2. What are some of the factors that will determine future automation?
  3. What can retailers do today to take advantage of the opportunities in automation?

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? Our forecast for delivery drones, fulfillment center automation, in-store robots, and QR codes.

Delivery Drone Units in the US, 2019-2024 (thousands and % change)
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KEY STAT: Drone delivery hit an inflection point in 2022, and growth will accelerate over the next three years.

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Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Key Points
  3. Retail Automation Shifts From Vision to Reality
  1. Innovation and Consumer Pressures Push Adoption
  2. Retailers Are Rethinking the Fundamentals
  3. Read Next
  1. Sources
  2. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Delivery Drone Units in the US, 2019-2024 (thousands and % change)Warehouse and Fulfillment Center Robots in the US, 2019-2024 (% of warehouse and fulfillment center operators)
In-Store Retail Robots in the US, 2019-2024 (% of total retailers)Smartphone QR Scanners in the US, 2019-2026 (millions, % change, % of smartphone users)
How Interested Are US Adults in Using Cashierless Checkout Technologies* at Stores? (% of respondents, by demographic, Aug 2022)5G Mobile Connections Worldwide, 2019-2026 (billions)
Amount of Time US Internet Users Typically Wait for Digitally Purchased Delivery Orders, June 2022 (% of respondents)Leading Factors of Customer Service Affecting Loyalty According to UK/US Consumers, Q1 2022 (% of respondents)

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authors

Yoram Wurmser

Contributors

Jade Appel
Associate Forecasting Analyst
Blake Droesch
Analyst
Caroline Fulford
Senior Researcher