Design and Empirical Study of an Intelligent Operation System for Multi-Category Retail Stores

Abstract

Multi-category retail chains currently face core challenges such as “shift scheduling based on experience, display optimization without data support, and inefficient store inspections.” These issues are exacerbated by the lack of a universal operation tool, resulting in a 30% lower labor efficiency compared to single-category benchmark stores. This study addresses these practical pain points by designing an intelligent operation system for multi-category retail stores named “Store Efficiency Communicator” (SEC). The system comprises three core modules: “intelligent shift scheduling,” “heat map display optimization,” and “digital store inspection.” It innovatively incorporates an “industry-defined weight mechanism” to accommodate differences across categories such as jewelry, clothing, and cosmetics. Empirical tests in 10 multi-category stores in Wuhan demonstrated that the system improved labor efficiency by an average of 28% (28% for jewelry stores, 28% for clothing stores, and 26% for cosmetics stores), increased display area sales by 37% (40% for jewelry stores, 35% for clothing stores, and 36% for cosmetics stores), and raised compliance pass rates by 23 percentage points. The proposed “digital lightweight path for small and medium-sized retail chains” has been validated through the regional agency system of Chow Tai Fook and can be adapted to American small and medium-sized retail brands, providing practical references for the implementation and export of Chinese retail digital technology.