Blog | nearby computing

Is your retail operation weighed down by costly hardware upgrades and rigid infrastructure? Are you feeling the strain of deploying new hardware across various locations without fully evaluating true performance needs?

Rethinking your strategy with edge computing, powered by a software-centric approach, can help retailers optimize existing hardware systems and make data-driven, value-based investments by identifying essential hardware upgrades. In retail or QSR environments, particularly those with multiple locations, countless devices like POS systems and sensors gather real-time data on customer behavior, purchase trends, and inventory levels.

The continuous influx of data creates substantial volumes that require thorough processing and analysis. Managing such high data loads demands extensive hardware within a compatible infrastructure, along with scalable solutions to prevent delays.

Retailers often adopt an infrastructure-heavy approach, focusing on deploying more hardware to increase system capacity. While this may seem effective at first, hardware costs can rapidly escalate, especially when upgrades are implemented without assessing actual requirements. Many solutions place a heavy emphasis on hardware, often driven by vendors aiming for large-scale sales, which can lead to unnecessary deployments across all locations.

For instance, a retailer may install 10,000 new POS systems at hundreds of pounds each—even when only a fraction of stores truly need them—making this method financially unsustainable.

Software-Driven Edge Orchestration Solution

A software-centric approach offers a smarter alternative by analyzing the existing infrastructure to pinpoint specific performance requirements. This method enables software insights to recommend targeted hardware upgrades or additions where truly needed, helping retailers manage costs while maximizing the value of their hardware investments.

NearbyOne, an edge orchestration platform, addresses these infrastructure challenges through an initial software evaluation. Rather than defaulting to large-scale hardware rollouts, the platform analyses existing systems across multiple locations to identify opportunities for optimization.

Real-time software analysis allows IT teams to make necessary adjustments and improve performance without adding new hardware. This enables stores to make the most of their current assets and avoid unnecessary expenses.

For retailers and QSRs facing high demands during peak times or in specific high-traffic locations, NearbyOne can pinpoint the areas where additional hardware delivers the greatest value.

Instead of suggesting blanket upgrades, the platform bases its recommendations on actual data, helping retailers prioritise enhancements in areas where they will have the most significant impact.

Consider a large retail chain experiencing slowdowns during peak hours. Traditional methods might recommend a full-scale hardware refresh across all stores—a costly and time-intensive solution.

By using NearbOne’s software assessment, IT teams can identify performance issues in just a few high-traffic locations. With this insight, the platform pinpoints areas where targeted hardware upgrades will deliver maximum efficiency, allowing the retailer to selectively invest for optimal results.

Software Enables Centralised Management

The edge orchestration platform operates on the principle of centralised management, providing a comprehensive view of both legacy and new infrastructure. This approach streamlines the task of overseeing diverse hardware environments and allows retailers to integrate and manage both existing and new hardware across locations.

With centralised control over devices, retailers maintain flexibility and efficiency without resorting to large-scale replacements. Moreover, this framework supports scalability, enabling businesses to adapt to changing needs more effectively.

By addressing specific system requirements rather than pushing for blanket upgrades, NearbyOne helps retailers maximise existing assets, cut costs, and implement only essential hardware enhancements.

The software-driven approach empowers retailers to make smarter, value-focused decisions, ensuring infrastructure investments yield optimal performance improvements and long-term returns.