Humans rule as Walmart bins Bossa Nova Robotics
Walmart has cut ties with Bossa Nova Robotics, which produces shelf-scanning inventory robots, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Its report says that the retailer has come up with other simple and cost-effective ways to manage the products on its shelves with its human workers. Around 500 robots were in Walmart’s more than 4,700 stores when the contract ended.
“This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone for one reason. Scanning shelves for inventory in a retailer isn't the best solution and Walmart figured this out,” Brittain Ladd, a supply chain consultant and former Amazon exec, said in a LinkedIn post.
”Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, continues to state that if he could change anything about the retailer, it would be to improve the in-stock levels on the shelves. Using a robot to travel up and down aisles scanning shelves won't fix the underlying issues causing the out-of-stocks,” he added.
The US giant should, he argued, transition to a model similar to that used by Pinduoduo in China. In addition, it has a supply chain designed for a company still operating in the 80s.
“Where are the big ideas for transforming the supply chain? Where are the AutoStore, Fabric, Attabotics, Exotec and/or Alert Innovation micro-fulfilment centres in your stores and dark stores, Walmart?” Ladd concluded.
Final word to a former Bossa Nova Robotics employeee, now at autonomous store technology venture, AiFi.
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