California-based Salesforce is working with Google Android and Zebra Technologies to help physical retailers improve operations, empower staff and elevate customer engagement.

They have produced Retail Cloud PoS. which will be available on Android in December this year, helping retailers gain more hardware flexibility with the ability to run point-of-sale on Zebra devices.

“Retail Cloud PoS, Google Android and Zebra work together to put the right information in the hands of frontline workers, so retailers can increase efficiency and accuracy of inventory tasks, close more sales, and improve the customer experience,” said Sara Gutierrez, senior product marketing manager at Salesforce. “This partnership comes at a crucial time, as shopper expectations for in-store experiences are skyrocketing and the roles of store associates continue to evolve.”

Most retailers say inefficient processes and technology drain shop worker productivity. The shop assistant role is getting broader, encompassing much more than just sales activities and managing the register, with 72% of their time spent on activities unrelated to checkout. They log into up to 11 different systems per day to complete tasks.

Increasing store productivity is a priority for retailers. With Retail Cloud PoS and Zebra, it should be easier and faster to keep track of inventory, fulfil orders and streamline operations at brick-and-mortar shops.

“Our new collaboration with Salesforce marks an exciting chapter in retail innovation, and the Retail Cloud PoS launch is just the beginning of what we’ll achieve together,” said Joe White, chief product officer at Zebra Technologies (www.zebra.com). “By integrating Zebra’s intelligent Android-based options with Salesforce’s customer platform, we are enabling retailers to better connect with their customers and associates.”

Gutierrez added: “For retailers already using Zebra devices, this new partnership enables a quick, easy upgrade to Retail Cloud PoS. No need for new hardware investments or lengthy deployments. Simply load the app onto the devices that are already in your associates’ hands.”

Along with hardware flexibility made possible by the partnership, retailers can also reduce staff training time. Retailers can launch a PoS system on hardware that’s already familiar to shop workers. Instead of days spent learning a system, teams can get comfortable in hours.

Store or warehouse staff equipped with Zebra devices can interact with Retail Cloud PoS (www.salesforce.com/retail/cloud-pos/) data – look up order status, customer profile details, pick lists and product info – while freely moving around the store.

“In a new era of agentic commerce, Retail Cloud PoS, Zebra Technologies and Google Android partner to empower store associates with cutting-edge tools and smart, AI-powered insights for enhanced productivity,” said Gutierrez. “This collaboration creates seamless, unified shopping experiences that help businesses attract a new generation of shoppers.”