The ZigBee Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, residential, commercial and consumer electronics applications, today announced it has started development of ZigBee Retail Services, a new standard focusing on the retail experience from point-of-manufacture to point-of-sale.

This effort is expected to utilize the wide range of ZigBee’s existing profile capabilities, fully leverage the advantages of ZigBee’s open global solution set, and add significant new capabilities to improve the retail supply chain. Focus on this key market area is expected to result in substantial new product and service opportunities.

ZigBee Retail Services public application profile can be used across the retail sector. The anticipated result for the retail market is a significant improvement in quality and supply chain management and efficiency, in addition to enhanced customer satisfaction. It will define applications for mobile terminals and offer plug-in modules to simplify adoption.

The ZigBee Retail Services public application profile will define a standard methodology for delivering a variety of services, including:

• In-store Information – Collection, delivery, selection, data sharing with customers, instore and mobile payment retail applications.
• Location Based Services – Tracking, arrival alerts and item location assistance.
• Retail At Home – Establish a wireless network in customer homes for shopping, inventory levels, order availability and a sales process engine.
• Retail Assistance Device – Support for voice capable employee and customer devices in a variety of retail environments.
• Health Care – Provide well being, drug interactions, refill orders, refill availability, alerts and recalls.
• Supply Chain Management – Warehouse management, cold chain management and inventory management providing end-to-end production to customer delivery.
•  Regulatory Compliance – In-store security and monitoring, retail regulatory compliance and freshness tracking for food, pharmaceuticals and other perishables.
• Energy Management – Sensors designed to monitor and reduce energy consumption and improve total building management.

“ZigBee Retail Services will change today’s shopping experience by delivering new services for consumers and retailers alike,” said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. “ZigBee Retail Services will leverage ZigBee’s many public application profiles as well as define new capabilities to create easy-to-use tools for consumers that make every day shopping easier, more interactive and enjoyable. Retailers will be able to increase quality and improve overall efficiency of operations while delivering an innovative consumer experience.”

A number of innovative companies are engaged in developing the ZigBee Retail Services Standard. The ZigBee Alliance is an open organization. Any company wishing to be a part of this process and be on the forefront of the standards development activity is encouraged to join the Alliance today as a Participant member. Ideal members include, but are certainly not limited to, retailers, distributors, companies involved in portable/mobile handheld devices, point-of-sale, carts, refrigeration, HVAC, lighting, building control systems, supply chain management and logistic supply.

ZigBee Retail Services will be the Alliance’s seventh public application profile when completed. Profiles available today include ZigBee Smart Energy, ZigBee Home Automation, ZigBee Remote Control and ZigBee Health Care. ZigBee Telecom Services and ZigBee Building Automation are in development.

For more information, visit: www.ZigBee.org.

Source: ZigBee Alliance