Intelligent Handhelds Manage Inventory Of Music CDs In Supermarkets

Coming soon to a supermarket near you...hard rock with radishes, classical with cookies or new age with new potatoes. Recognized as the nation's premier provider of music retail services to the supermarket channel, Richmond, VA-based, Fresh Picks offers up to 800 music titles, tailored to reflect the buying preferences of the customer base in each supermarket, with its modular CD displays. While shopping, customers can stop and hear over 32 unique titles programmed into a listening station or place a special order via a touch-screen. Currently located in 63 stores in 4 supermarket chains throughout the East Coast, from Boston to Florida, Fresh Picks needed an accurate communication and inventory management system.

To accomplish this, Fresh Picks relied on systems integrator Alpha Systems to ensure equipment efficiency and accuracy in managing inventory as well as development of customized software applications. "We recognized that Fresh Picks needed an intelligent system that was powerful, simple and efficient," said Robert Cook, Vice President at Alpha Systems. The Compsee Apex III hand-held computers with a built-in scanner enabled Alpha Systems to design software applications as if each field rep had a laptop computer. Each Apex III currently holds 4MB of information but can be increased to 8MB through an expansion card. Using a database engine so large volumes of data could be handled quickly, a customized DOS based application written in C++ provided an accurate efficient inventory management system.

On a daily basis, Fresh Pick's home office communicates specific tasks to be performed at each store location through the hand-held. Because inventory is uniquely tailored to each local demographic area, to keep the music selections "fresh" and satisfying to the tastes of local customers, replenishment cycles are three times a week. Specific tasks include conducting a complete inventory, price markdowns, setting up special promotions, handling customer returns, UPS order tracking and pulling inventory. To help further guarantee inventory accuracy, the Apex III has been programmed to emit a special tone when titles scheduled for removal by the home office, are scanned. There is even a built in e-mail system.

According to Jim Smyers, Director of MIS for Fresh Picks, "The information being sent between the home office replenishment systems and the hand-held computers in the field, gives us a timely and accurate picture of our inventory, allowing us to respond to the dynamics of the music retail environment at the individual SKU level. Our latest achievement, allows us to distribute new releases of the scanner software remotely, using standard dial up communications. Previously, we had to send the software updates to a PC in the field, and then the general manager had to schedule time with the field staff to load the new software. This exciting advancement will increase our efficiency and drive down the cost of software distribution in the future. Successful implementation of this technology will support Fresh Picks' estimated growth into more than 200 stores by the years end."