Honeywell is using augmented reality to make shopping easier this holiday season.

To optimise retail operations and efficiency, Honeywell has announced the latest release of its SwiftDecoder barcode-decoding software, designed to make shopping easier and help ensure a seamless retail experience.

Used by companies worldwide to scan millions of barcodes each day, SwiftDecoder transforms camera-enabled devices into barcode scanners, offering fast and accurate data capture.

For retailers, it seamlessly integrates the software’s augmented-reality plug-ins into both store associate- and customer-facing applications. This integration boosts productivity by enabling the scanning of shelf tags and visually overlaying graphics and information on the screen.

This is beneficial for store staff managing inventory and ensuring price label accuracy, as well as for shoppers seeking promotional and nutritional details, helping provide a frictionless checkout experience.

“SwiftDecoder is enabling retailers to create innovative applications that revolutionise the customer journey,” said David Barker, president of Honeywell’s productivity and services division. “Fast and frictionless checkouts not only boost customer satisfaction but also improve operational efficiency, allowing businesses to embrace a forward-thinking shopping experience. With Honeywell technology, accurate and real-time product information is delivered to both associates and customers, leading to higher-quality customer interactions. This convergence of technology and consumer empowerment is helping to reshape the retail landscape, promising a future where frictionless, efficient and convenient shopping is the new norm.”

As peak shopping season approaches, technology enhancing the customer experience and bringing speed to shoppers’ decisions will be critical. With purchasing options such as click and collect and innovations such as shop and go – where consumers can complete purchases in-store without interacting with an associate – the adoption of SwiftDecoder presents an opportunity to create better shopping experiences.

Research firm Gartner reported that customer experience influences 66% of loyalty, surpassing price and brand combined, and 94% of consumers are more likely to make future purchases with a positive experience.

Reduced wait times at checkout mean more shoppers can be served in a shorter period which, in turn, can increase the store’s overall sales potential. This technology can also facilitate better inventory management by providing real-time data on product popularity and availability, helping businesses make more informed stocking decisions.

SwiftDecoder’s image-processing algorithms can be used in different devices, including mobile phones, tablets, computers, wearable scanners, drones and kiosks for various retail and logistics applications.

For more information on Honeywell’s retail products, visit sps.honeywell.com.