New video surveillance system for retailers can help reduce loss, increase revenue and enhance security

Retailers have a new option for increasing security and decreasing loss. March Networks, which develops IP video solutions, has announced the release of its “next-generation platform” for the retail market.

The company says their new solution can help retailers enhance security, ensure store compliance and increase revenues by 10 percent or more. Powered by the high-performance 8000 Series Hybrid Network Video Recorders (NVRs) and Searchlight for Retail video intelligence applications, it allows convenience stores, quick service restaurants and other retail organizations to aggressively cut losses from theft, and audit all aspects of their in-store operations remotely using customizable reports and easy-to-use video playback tools.

“Rather than using video surveillance only when there is an incident, this next-generation platform makes it possible for retailers to proactively improve their profitability and top line revenue,” said Net Payne, Chief Marketing Officer, March Networks. “It enables customers to quickly identify and address areas that are affecting profits, whether that’s shrinkage they didn’t know they had, under-stocked shelves, or long lines at the cash register.”

A cornerstone of the retail platform is March Networks Searchlight for Retail, a suite of intelligent software applications that seamlessly integrates video, security analytics and point-of-sale (POS) transaction data.

The easy-to-use applications provide time-saving ‘watch lists’ – a set of customizable reports that run automatically and come complete with associated video images. Retailers can quickly scan through the reports and click further to review suspect transactions in more detail.

By automatically alerting retailers to the potential theft typical in retail environments, these exception reports enable owners, managers and loss prevention investigators to audit their stores’ daily performance in minutes. Additionally, Searchlight for Retail supports centralized searches across a few or hundreds of locations simultaneously, making it faster and easier to investigate suspect incidents and proactively detect losses at the POS or elsewhere in a store.

The March Networks next-generation retail solution also helps retailers improve operations and ensure store compliance across their organization. Live monitoring and playback of recorded video is easily accessed using browser-based video management software. Mobile access is also available using March Networks Cloud, allowing management to see the condition of a store without having to physically visit the location.

Retailers can audit stores at any time for cleanliness, stocked shelves, brand compliance and other factors that contribute to sales and a positive customer experience, and also turn to Searchlight for daily auditing reports, such as images from every store first thing in the morning to ensure each location is opening on time.

Optional security analytics on the 8000 Series recorders – including loitering detection and queue monitoring – are also available to help owners and managers proactively address unacceptable customer wait times, people loitering outside of store fronts and other events via real-time alerts.

Serving as the backbone of the retail solution are the new March Networks 8532 S and 8516 S Hybrid NVRs – which were designed and priced specifically for the retail market. The high-performance recorders deliver the crystal clear video retailers need to better review incidents, identify cash denominations and combat shrinkage.

They employ March Networks’ optimized H.264 video compression to capture noticeably sharper analog video without increasing bandwidth and storage requirements, and can support as many as 32 IP cameras or any hybrid analog/IP combination to ensure retailers can leverage existing analog camera investments.