Legendary ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky famously said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” In the highly competitive footwear retail market, this translates to an absolute truth: you miss 100% of the sales you cannot fulfill.
In the fast-paced world of retail, your team relies on a growing arsenal of mobile devices. Handheld computers manage inventory in the aisle, tablets process sales from anywhere on the floor, and wearables keep associates connected and informed.
Retail associates often face overwhelming app fatigue. Disjointed communication tools and isolated point solution applications cause unnecessary friction during their daily shifts.
The Wall Street Journal recently recognized Zebra Technologies as a global Top 10 company for AI Readiness. Earning a spot next to major tech innovators validates our strategic focus on AI for the frontline of business.
For years, a significant hurdle blocked the path toward truly intelligent, automated operations on the manufacturing floor. In environments prioritizing network integrity, particularly in automotive production, strict policies often ban Bluetooth® devices.
The energy at our recent Channel Partner Summit in Orlando felt palpable. Everywhere you turned, conversations buzzed with the potential of AI.
A recent story that caught my eye involved a rather audacious theft. Somewhere on a route between Italy and Poland, thieves made off with a truck carrying twelve tons of chocolate bars.
After two decades in the transportation and logistics (T&L) sector, I find its constant motion continues to fascinate me. Our industry serves as the circulatory system for the global economy, and its pulse reflects the pressures and priorities of our time.
After navigating the energetic cacophony of NRF 2026, one thing is abundantly clear: the retail industry's conversation around AI has pivoted from the theoretical to the practical.
In my conversations with customers and manufacturing leaders across Vietnam, there is a palpable energy right now. As global supply chains diversify, our local manufacturing sector is experiencing breathtaking growth.
Each January, the tech world converges on Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), offering a preview of the future. We see smarter homes, next-generation gadgets, and brilliant displays.
Earlier this year, at our Channel Partner Summit, the buzz of excitement was unmistakable. The conversations with our partners, the lifeblood of our ecosystem, consistently circled back to a significant evolution in our industry.
Retailers today navigate a fiercely competitive environment. Consumers expect, and demand, seamlessly connected shopping experiences, whether they shop online or in-store.
Zebra's Channel Partner Summit provides a vital opportunity to connect with the partners who help us deliver solutions to our customers every day. This year’s conversations centered on Winning Together.
In part one of the series, I shared my experience attending Zebra’s inaugural RFID Forum in Prague. As we continue our journey through our first-ever RFID Forum, it’s evident that RFID is not just a buzzword but a pivotal technology driving tangible change across industries.
In the fast-paced world of retail, staying ahead of changing consumer demands is more challenging than ever. As retailers strive to enhance customer experiences and maintain competitiveness, many are turning to the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI). Zebra Technologies is at the forefront of this movement, offering AI solutions that unlock the potential of frontline operations, allowing retailers to make smarter business decisions.
An RFID thread connected to the right frequency makes it easy for manufacturers to relay critical intel on garments to retailers and shoppers.
In the dynamic world of frontline operations, the spotlight has been on optimizing workflows through Asset Visibility, a critical pillar of operational intelligence discussed in my previous blog post.
As Zebra rolls out its refreshed brand, I realize how privileged our role is as Independent Software Vendors in applying this new messaging around mobile devices.
In the second episode of Conversations with a CNIO, we tackled one of the most pressing and sensitive issues facing healthcare today: workplace safety and violence. As someone who has spent years navigating hospital floors and collaborating with healthcare leaders, this topic is deeply personal to me. Chad Salahshour, CEO of 911Cellular, one of Zebra’s valued channel partners, joined me to share his insights on how innovative technologies can enhance safety measures in healthcare environments.
I am drawn to extraordinary people. People that do things above and beyond the call of duty. My friendship group comprises sports champions, business entrepreneurs and adventurers. Intelligent, confident people that excel in a multitude of outlets, and rarely follow the norm. Which is why I felt so at home. I was surrounded by a room full of people I felt in awe of. Not sports heroes or boardroom execs but people that show up every day and make the world a better place. People that deal with the deprived, those with complex health issues - physical and mental. They operate calmly in situations that would fill me with fear. The most unsung of heroes. Community nurses.
Transportation & logistics (T&L) leaders confront a fast-moving landscape where agility and precision define success. Our study titled, “Impact of Intelligent Operations” which was done in collaboration with Oxford Economics offers fresh insights into how intelligent operations transform this vital industry.
I’ve spent over four decades working on technology solutions that support businesses, and I can confidently say there’s never been a more exciting or challenging time to innovate for the frontline. Recently, I joined a webinar with guest speaker Denise Lund, Research Vice President, Worldwide Telecom and Unified Communications at IDC and my Zebra colleague Bethany Wiegand. The discussion centered on the mounting pressures of the retail frontline and how Unified Communication and Collaboration (UC&C) solutions, like Zebra Workcloud Sync, are stepping in to help.
Turnover rates for warehouse and storage workers remain significantly higher than in other sectors. According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual churn in transportation, warehousing and utilities is currently around 43%.
When Kevin Lawton, host of The New Warehouse Podcast, visited the Zebra Robotics demo center in San Jose, we didn’t just demonstrate Zebra Symmetry™ Fulfillment. We put him to work.
With just a few minutes of instruction, Kevin went through a complete warehouse workflow, from building a cart at induction to picking items in the warehouse and unloading finished orders at a packout station.
“I had minimal — minimal — training on this. So you can see how easy it is,” Lawton said after completing his first day on the job.
In addition to giving Kevin an immersive experience, I sat down with him and Cody Upp, Zebra’s head of commercial robotics sales and solutions, to record a full podcast episode. Here are some of the high points from our interview.
Explore the transformative role of AI in healthcare in “Are Hospitals Taking a Gamble on AI? Part Two” by Lorna Hopkin, Marketing Lead at Zebra Technologies. Discover how AI is enhancing triage processes, optimizing patient wait times, and supporting healthcare professionals with intuitive tools. This insightful article delves into AI’s ethical considerations, data challenges, and the importance of patient-centered care. Learn why investing in AI isn’t a gamble but a strategic move towards a smarter, more efficient healthcare system. Join the conversation on AI’s potential to revolutionize patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.
The scarcity of labor resources and high costs of robotics ownership are pushing fulfillment companies to rethink their automation strategies. Zebra addressed these challenges head on in a recent Making the Case report published in collaboration with Modern Materials Handling.
This report delves into the top challenges fulfillment operations are dealing with on the robotics front today. It reveals how a collaborative approach to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can help you overcome automation hurdles, operate more efficiently, and enhance overall performance and profitability.
Retail has always fascinated me. It’s a dynamic industry that demands constant attention to detail, an ability to adapt, and a focus on solving problems that can threaten both profits and customer trust.
In the fast-paced world of technology, we know that achieving milestones is all about teamwork. Here at Zebra Technologies, we’re fortunate to have a strong culture driven by our employees and incredible customers and partners whose collaboration inspires us to achieve more every day.
Chuck Bolen explores the critical importance of mobile device security for businesses, drawing a unique analogy to jeans with “holes.” The article highlights the potential risks of cybersecurity breaches, emphasizing that both small and large businesses can suffer lasting consequences. Bolen engages with mobile device security experts Erv Comer and Adam Arruda to discuss whether there’s a definitive approach to mobile security or if it’s more nuanced, based on risk tolerance and vulnerability.
Working in retail today is more challenging than ever. The pressure on frontline workers has reached unprecedented levels, with 59% of them considering quitting their jobs in the past year alone.
A distribution center (DC) operator and a Wi-Fi solution architect explain why it often feels like such a struggle to get wireless system settings just right in warehouses (no matter how much technical investigation and adjustment occurs.)
Frontline workers are the backbone of retail operations, yet their challenges often go unnoticed. From juggling demanding schedules to managing inventory discrepancies and navigating volatile pricing environments, the frontline faces significant hurdles daily. We offer solutions designed to address these pain points head-on. Through Workcloud Shift, Workcloud Inventory Visibility, and Workcloud Lifecycle Pricing, we are transforming how frontline workers do their jobs, fostering connected collaboration, and driving operational excellence.
Retail operations generate vast amounts of data every day. This data, which includes sales transactions, inventory levels, customer interactions, and employee actions, holds the key to understanding and resolving operational issues. However, traditional data analysis methods often fall short, struggling to address the multi-step nature of many retail problems.
If you're an SAP customer looking to migrate from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA to better support frontline workers and back-office processes, you may be wondering: "Should I choose SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) or Stock Room Management (SRM)?" This post will help you arrive at the right answer for your business.
Bob Bova, President and CEO of AccuspeechMobile, sits down with Andre Luecht, Global Strategy Lead for Transport, Logistics, and Warehouse at Zebra, to provide his honest take on why you may be struggling with your voice technology.
The food wasted annually – the ~1.3 billion tons of food that ends up in the landfill – contains enough calories to feed approximately three billion people for a year! So, why is even a single person experiencing food insecurity or hunger right now? There is clearly enough food being produced to feed everyone on the planet today and then some. In this blog post, Leo Lowy takes a closer look at the root causes of food waste and loss as well as the technology tools that could be applied right now to stop food waste in its tracks at a global level. Read his recommendations.
If you're a healthcare provider or administrator who wants to reduce the shocks and stress felt when the world seems to shatter - or just simply grows bigger - you need to make one simple change today then repeat tomorrow. Don't wait "for the money to come in" or a policy push to make the changes needed to improve care capacity or quality. The team at Hull University Hospital didn't. It took a pragmatic approach to modernization and has made great progress with Scan4Safety and strategic RFID implementations in a short period of time. So, if you're not sure what to do first (or next), the story and advice shared in this blog post might help you get the answers you need...or at least know the right questions to ask of the right people.
Shoppers expect the same things from retailers they always have, including convenience and quality. But it’s seemingly more difficult for retailers to deliver those things now. Why is that? And what can they do to fix it? Here's one retail strategist's perspective.
If you’re only thinking about which mobile applications you need to develop or download to support workers, they may not be getting what they really need to be effective at their jobs. That's one of the reasons why you need to put more thought into your software decisions. Find out the other reasons why you need to look closer at the software you're running across your operations.
You can’t just bolt on AI and expect things to get better. If you don’t take these steps first, AI use will only add to your care team’s workload, detract from patient care, and multiply your IT spend.
Find out why you must put your workers’ mobile experiences first when modernizing your SAP warehouse. Plus, learn about the seven things you must do to ensure you are addressing your frontline warehouse workers’ needs when making warehouse management system (WMS) and workflow changes.
Do you know exactly when, where and why losses are happening within your operations? If not, it will be hard to figure out how to prevent them, fix inventory distortion, and eliminate friction within your operations. So, let’s talk about loss detection.
AI, robots and other automation technologies will help you drive operational improvements sometime in the future. But, today, you need to be using voice-command automation (which is not the same thing as the voice-directed picking “solutions” you’re struggling with today.) Find out how voice-command automation differs from the other ways your frontline workers are using voice technology today.
The traditional 1D barcode scanner isn’t going to help you see and intervene when losses occur at the point of sale (POS). Nor will it reduce the number of interventions required by retail store associates or restaurant workers. But retail leader Mark Thomson has seen something that will. He explains in his latest blog post.
There are many things happening behind the scenes from a security and performance perspective that requires intervention (and likely an upgrade) right now if you're front-line workers are using older Android mobile devices. Find out which Android devices are affected and how their continued use could impact your business.
Were exactly should RFID, machine vision and other automation technologies be used within the reverse logistics chain? Alex Whiting, founder of MiTEQ, reveals what he’s found to work best.
Bluetooth has become ubiquitous over the last 20 years. (30 billion devices using Bluetooth.) But can it really get even more widely deployed (or better) than it is today? Inventor Jaap Haartsen has some interesting thoughts on what may happen in the next 20 years. Check it out.
AI is changing the future of advanced analytics and anomaly detection in retail. Here’s how.
As sustainability reporting leaps up boardroom agendas, a byproduct of enhanced visibility is uncovering the most secretive malware.
If you want to know exactly where your Zebra Android mobile devices are within your facilities, the you'll want to find out how the 802.11mc fine time measurement (FTM) locating feature works. You'll also want to turn it on across your Wi-Fi network and Zebra devices. (There's no extra cost.) Learn more.
What is it about telnet that makes it possible for modern warehouse devices to continue to run it?
Cleaning up the physical space and processes in your receiving area might feel like a big step, but it’s the best first step given receiving sets the tone for the rest of your warehouse operations. Here are eight things you can do to drive noticeable improvement quite easily.
Identity Guardian uses face biometrics and an encrypted barcode to prevent unauthorized users from seeing sensitive business data – and help authorized users access that data faster. Here’s how it works.
PacSun thought it was struggling to meet e-commerce demand because of poor forecasting. Come to find out, that was only half the story (and issue). Find out what we learned once we started investigating the source of its fulfillment challenges, as it may be a hidden problem in your operations, too.
There's a lot more to consider than just the temperature rating when choosing a handheld mobile computer or tablet – or even an RFID reader, barcode scanner, printer, or wearable – for use in cold chains (or cold weather). So, Andre Luecht took the time to detail what other factors influence the performance of technology devices, accessories and supplies in different types of cold settings so that you always make the right choice for your operation the first time.
Learn more about what type of data is flowing from Zebra’s technology systems into ServiceNow asset management systems to help you keep tabs on all your assets without doing more than lifting a finger.
No matter how much technology enables to run your business more efficiently, people are still the ones responsible for your success (and developing the technology that allows you to work in new, better ways so that success becomes possible). So, it's time to give credit where credit is due - and make sure we're thinking about technology in the context of human impact.
We’ve added some new functionality to Zebra DNA Cloud as requested so you can more easily manage your workforce mobility solutions, including Workstation Connect.
Though meant to reduce theft, locking up products in your stores may be causing losses by deterring impatient shoppers from completing their purchase or complicating inventory management. Consider this instead.
Some say now’s the time to take the road less traveled. We say it’s now or never. If you keep doing the same things you’ve always done, especially if you’ve typically avoided AI, you’re going to keep feeling the grind.
AI does not start and end with ChatGPT (or whatever other generative AI is creating the most buzz). So, let’s talk about what AI means for your business, including your workers.
Puneet Shetty, Vice President of Product Management, Celona explains when private 4G/5G/CBRS wireless networks will prove more reliable and cost effective.
The RFID tag is not the next evolution of the barcode. It is technology you should treat as complementary to barcodes. Here’s why.
The more mainstream AI becomes in business, the more important it becomes for developers and engineers to adopt best practices – and for technology buyers and IT managers to understand those practices. So, we asked an AI expert to share the practices he and his team use to bring AI into production, including the use of ML Ops.
If it feels inconvenient to have to buy all new reusable bins or recyclable serving utensils, find out what one global QSR chain is doing to conveniently maintain operations, meet sustainability goals and comply with multiple plastics bans.
With it becoming more challenging than ever to make money in retail, it’s crucial to streamline your store operations in line with the new “Modern Store” framework introduced at NRF.
Retail, logistics, shipping, and warehouse teams are having to move more cold chain goods every day. So, they will appreciate how the Zebra RS6100 can survive extreme temps and help them maintain a steady tempo in and out of freezers.
Find out how OCR Wedge enables you to automatically capture VIN, TIN and license plate data across automotive supply chains, stores and service centers using only a handheld mobile computer.
Perishable good restocks require precise inventory planning by retailers. That’s why predictive ordering AI/ML algorithms may be some of the best innovations since sliced bread. Find out how they work.
It may be tempting to push customers toward staffed checkout lanes instead of self-checkout (SCO) to reduce losses. However, doing so could push your most loyal customers away. So, let’s talk about ways to stop SCO-related shrink.
Did you know that you don’t always need real-time visibility into trailer location to prevent goods losses on the road and labor-related losses in your retail stores, warehouses and distribution centers? Learn more.
Here are some calculations to run and often overlooked factors to consider before you think that a consumer mobile device is going to be “cheaper" than one purpose-built for business or industrial use cases.
What’s the difference between a "voice-only picking solution" and voice technology that can enable your picking process? One voice technology expert explains.
Shoppers want more autonomy. They also want more on-demand associate assistance (when needed), along with faster payment experiences. Here are some easy ways to give them everything they want.
How long will humans outnumber the machine workforce? And is there a way to extract more value from their current co-existence? Those are two questions answered by a warehouse automation expert in this blog post.
Not sure how to accelerate digitalization or meet efficiency standards in your hospital? Find out what one healthcare volunteer suggests after working in National Health Service (NHS) wards for a while and understanding what it really takes to take good care of patients – and take care of all patients that need consultations.
What questions should you be asking mobile device manufacturers about security in your solicitations? And what are Zebra’s responses to these questions? We ask a mobile security expert to weigh in on both.
Learn why (and how) you should migrate from ITS Mobile, SAPConsole and Windows mobile apps to “Mobile Inventory Templates,” and what the process was like for two global companies that have already migrated.
Learn how wearable devices that audibly or visually tell workers where to go and what to do when they get there can help them reach full productivity faster.
Erv Comer is an engineer who has spent the last 35 years focused on security. This is what he wants you to ask (and) know before you buy another mobile computer or tablet, especially if you plan to use it for business purposes.
Did you know there are Wi-Fi 6 printers available or that you might need to switch to one? Learn more about how they work and how you can prepare for the transition to Wi-Fi 6 - and Wi-Fi 6 printers.
No one wants a dead battery, but that’s what you’ll end up with if you keep charging your battery too much or too often. So, let’s talk about the right way to extend your battery life.