An independent research report commissioned by Axis Communications, a provider of network video and conducted by the Centre for Retail Research, Nottingham (CRR) has revealed that the vast majority of retailers are considering a move to IP-based surveillance.
An independent research report commissioned by Axis Communications, a provider of network video and conducted by the Centre for Retail Research, Nottingham (CRR) has revealed that the vast majority of retailers are considering a move to IP-based surveillance.
The report ‘Retail Use and Experience of CCTV in the UK' examines the current and future use of surveillance in the UK's retail sector and shows that although more than three quarters (77.9 percent) of the respondents still rely on analog surveillance, 71.2 percent (a high proportion of which are organizations with more than 100 stores) were planning to rollout network cameras that use their IT network or the Internet (known as IP surveillance) to access and share images.
“The report clearly shows that many retailers are keen to maximize their investment in their surveillance system so that it can be used as more than just a loss prevention tool,” said Professor Joshua Bamfield from the CRR.
“Although analog surveillance still dominates in this sector, retailers are obviously beginning to realize its limitations and appreciate the additional benefits an IP-based system can deliver.”
“IP surveillance delivers a host of benefits for retailers. HDTV network video cameras provide clear, useable images which can be shared between stores quickly and easily. And, as the footage is digital, it is far easier to locate than the images captured by analog systems. Retailers can also monitor activity in their stores remotely over the Internet, even via a handheld device from anywhere in the world,” said Atul Rajput, Retail Business Development Manager, Northern Europe, Axis Communications
Where IP surveillance really shines over traditional analog technology is that it is capable of far more than loss prevention and security as these systems are able to deliver real marketing and business intelligence.
“The report shows that a significant number of retailers are interested in business intelligence applications such as people counting and heat mapping solutions which can be embedded in network video cameras. This just isn't possible with analog surveillance,” Rajput said.
“These insights into consumer behavior help retailers to plan staffing levels and optimize store layouts and this contributes to improving the bottom line and customer service.”
Retailers who have already made an investment in analog surveillance systems can create a hybrid system by introducing a video encoder which ‘digitizes' the images. Axis has worked with many large retailers throughout the world to upgrade their surveillance systems to IP with minimal impact to their IT networks.