“3 out of 4 customers will leave your store if the checkout lines are too long.”

In 2026, the winners in retail aren’t those with the most shelves — they’re the ones using Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Internet of Things (IoT), and AI to make every second count. From predicting inventory needs to enabling cashier-less checkouts, smart stores are rewriting the rules of customer experience.

The catch? While 72% of retailers are investing in automation, many struggle to roll out these technologies fast enough to meet rising consumer demands. Shoppers now expect zero delays, personalized offers, and flawless product availability — anything less, and loyalty vanishes.

At Infosprint Technologies, a leading IT services company, we help retailers leverage automation to gain a competitive edge. In this blog, you’ll discover how intelligent store automation is redefining retail — and why acting now could be the difference between setting trends or chasing them.

Before we dive deeper, assess your readiness with our 2026 Smart Store Automation Readiness Checklist

What is Smart Store Automation?

Intelligent store automation is the integration of advanced technologies—primarily Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to streamline both customer-facing and back-end retail operations.

Unlike traditional automation that focuses on isolated tasks, intelligent store automation creates a connected ecosystem where:

• IoT devices (like smart shelves, electronic price tags, and RFID tags) continuously collect real-time data.
• RPA bots automate repetitive operational processes, such as updating inventory, processing returns, and syncing prices, without requiring human intervention.
• AI systems analyze incoming data to make intelligent decisions, from predicting demand to personalizing customer experiences.

This holistic approach enables stores to operate more autonomously, reduce manual workloads, and respond promptly to shifting market conditions.

The Benefits for Your Retail Operations

Intelligent store automation isn’t just a technological upgrade—it’s a strategic advantage for retailers looking to stay relevant and competitive in 2026. Here’s how it delivers value across the board:

• Improved Operational Efficiency: Automation minimizes manual tasks, such as pricing updates and inventory checks, leading to a quicker turnaround and fewer errors.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: IoT-enabled shelves, AI-driven personalization, and self-checkout systems streamline shopping by reducing wait times, ensuring product availability, and offering tailored promotions.
• Real-Time Data & Insights: Connected devices feed instant data into RPA and AI systems, allowing predictive restocking, demand forecasting, and in-store optimization without guesswork.
• Cost Savings: From reduced labor costs in repetitive tasks to minimized stock wastage, intelligent store automation directly impacts the bottom line.
• Scalability & Flexibility: RPA and IoT integration enable scalable automation workflows across various locations without requiring the reinvention of processes, making them ideal for both retail chains and boutiques.
• Sustainability: Automation enables smarter energy usage, waste reduction through optimized supply chains, and digital labeling, which reduces paper and printing waste.

Discover how retail transformation solutions can elevate operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

RPA-Powered Smart Store: Major Retailer’s Journey with Accelirate

A prominent North American retailer partnered with Accelirate to enhance its operations by utilizing UiPath's RPA platform. With numerous stores to manage, the retailer encountered challenges related to inventory management, price updates, and returns processing—common issues that hindered efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Accelirate implemented a retail-specific automation strategy leveraging the UiPath ecosystem:

• Inventory Monitoring & Reordering: Bots tracked inventory levels using real-time system signals and triggered automatic restocking workflows across physical and digital channels.
• Dynamic Pricing Automation: RPA bots updated pricing across multiple stores and POS systems based on sales data, competitor pricing, and promotional calendars.
• Fast-Track Returns Processing: Return requests were automatically validated, processed, and logged into the ERP. Customers received near-instant confirmations and notifications of expected refunds or replacements.

Discover our UiPath retail case study to learn how leading brands are achieving efficiency gains and driving revenue growth.

1. RPA: The Foundation of Smart Retail Workflows 

By using GUI workflows to automate repetitive, rule-based operations, robotic process automation (RPA) replicates human user actions while improving accuracy and speed.

Why RPA is transformative for retail:

• Seamless integration: RPA seamlessly works across legacy systems—such as ERP, CRM, and inventory tools—without requiring heavy rewrites.
• Tangible benefits: RPA leads to cost savings, fewer errors, faster processes, and improved employee morale by removing mundane tasks.
• Inventory & pricing adjustments: Automatic updates across systems based on thresholds.
• Back-office operations: Bots process returns, manage payroll, compile analytics, and enable faster month-end close
• Data handling & reporting: Real-time analytics support smarter decisions across departments.

UiPath’s leadership in retail RPA:

UiPath offers a robust, scalable platform with both low-code and advanced functionality. It enables rapid deployment, works 24/7, integrates across platforms, and maintains audit trails for compliance, positioning it as a top choice for retail automation.

Learn more about why RPA is important in modern business and how it drives measurable growth.

2. IoT in Retail: Real-Time Visibility Preventing Stockouts

Within the retail ecosystem, real-time data sharing and communication between devices, sensors, and systems are made possible by the Internet of Things (IoT). Approximately 17 billion devices were connected in 2024, and this figure is expected to continue rising.

Applications in retail:

• Electronic shelf labels: Remove the need for manual relabeling and enable remote pricing adjustments. To reduce employee workload, grocery stores and Currys in the UK are increasingly using them.
• Inventory monitoring: Retailers such as Morrisons utilize smart shelves and inventory monitoring, where AI-enabled cameras track stock and automated systems reorder as inventory drops.
• Autonomous shop sensing: Cashless and loss-proof checkouts are made possible by sophisticated sensor arrays, such as RFID, LiDAR, and weight sensors.
• Innovative warehousing: To increase warehouse sustainability and efficiency, luxury merchants such as Hugo Boss, LVMH, and Harrods use RFID, robotics, drones, and augmented reality.

IoT acts as the real-time nervous system of retail operations, turning previously reactive processes into proactive, data-driven workflows.

3. AI & Agentic Automation: The Decision-Making Engine

If RPA is the hands of automation and IoT is the eyes, then AI is the brain, making sense of incoming data, forecasting future needs, and adapting operations on the fly. In 2026, AI in retail has matured beyond analytics dashboards; it’s now the decision-making engine of innovative store ecosystems.

IoT Applications in Action

• Layout Optimization: Lowe’s utilizes AI-powered digital twins (via Nvidia Omniverse) to simulate store layouts, adjust inventory placement, and respond instantly to real-world data, thereby reducing reconfiguration time and enhancing customer navigation.
• Predictive Supply Chains: AI forecasting models anticipate stock needs weeks in advance, cutting stockouts and excess inventory while reducing waste.
• Hyper-Personalized Promotions: AI analyses purchase patterns and preferences to deliver tailored offers, boosting conversion rates and customer loyalty.
• Virtual Shopping Experiences: From virtual try-ons to AI-assisted product recommendations, AI merges digital convenience with physical retail.

The Rise of Agentic AI Automation

In 2026, agentic automation takes AI one step further. Instead of a single AI making all decisions, retailers deploy multi-agent systems—specialized AI agents dedicated to pricing, inventory, merchandising, and customer service. These agents work together, orchestrating both RPA bots and human workflows in real time.

Step-by-Step Guide To Implementing Smart Store Automation

To create a smart store that is ready for 2026, a structured approach is essential. This implementation strategy provides a clear, step-by-step roadmap to integrate foundational automation, IoT, and advanced AI, helping you build a future-proof retail environment. It focuses on a phased rollout, allowing you to manage complexity and prove value at each stage.

Before starting your smart store journey, use our 2026 Smart Store Automation Readiness Checklist to assess your current capabilities and identify where automation will have the greatest impact.

Step 1: Start with RPA foundations

Start with a strong RPA foundation using UiPath RPA automation solutions to automate high-impact workflows quickly and at scale.

Step 2: Layer in IoT intelligence

Deploy shelf sensors, electronic labels, and inventory tracking systems to provide real-time insights into your operations. Incorporate innovative warehousing where possible.

Step 3: Add AI intelligence

• Use AI for demand forecasting and layout optimization (Lowe’s digital-twin model as inspiration).
• Deploy a multi-agent AI to manage pricing, stocking, and customer engagement dynamically.
• Implement personalization tools—from digital advisors to virtual try-ons—for rich shopping experiences.

Step 4: Integrate infrastructure and data flow

Ensure seamless data sharing between RPA bots, IoT platforms, and AI models. Embrace secure, scalable frameworks and standards (e.g., MQTT, REST, W3C, OPC) to support connectivity.

Step 5: Address challenges proactively

• Data Security and Privacy: Ensure the security of IoT networks and AI systems to protect customer information.
• Sensor Limitations: Address challenges such as occlusion, theft, and sensor coverage by utilizing multi-modal sensing, which combines technologies like LiDAR, RFID, and weight sensors.
• Workforce Impacts: Similar to Lowe's strategy, use technology to augment staff functions rather than replace them, freeing people up to concentrate on high-value and creative work.

Step 6: Measure ROI and iterate

Track KPIs across productivity, inventory accuracy, customer satisfaction, and operational cost. Utilize pilot projects to refine the rollout and scale gradually.

Looking Ahead: The Smart Retail Vision of 2026 

Smart store automation, powered by RPA, IoT, and AI, is fast becoming the core of modern retail strategy. By 2026, retailers that master this tech stack will differentiate themselves in efficiency, personalization, and innovation. RPA lays the foundation; IoT brings real-time awareness; AI enables intelligence.

See what the future of retail looks like when automation and AI work together to deliver unmatched customer experiences.

If you're evaluating how to transform your retail operations, start with RPA via UiPath’s robust retail automation solutions, which are perfect for unlocking rapid efficiency and paving the way toward intelligent, sensor-driven experiences that engage customers and empower staff.

Ready to take the next step? Contact us today to discuss your automation roadmap.