Retail
Physical Retail’s Next Infrastructure Layer: Item-Level Intelligence with Radar
Physical retail is under pressure to become as measurable and responsive as e-commerce. While retailers have spent years optimizing digital channels with real-time data, store teams have often had to make decisions with incomplete inventory visibility and delayed operational signals. That gap matters because stores still account for 80% of U.S. retail sales, making…
Key takeaways
Radar improves inventory management with real-time data.
Accurate inventory data is fundamental for effective store operations.
Item-level intelligence enhances store performance and customer experience.
Physical retail is under pressure to become as measurable and responsive as e-commerce. While retailers have spent years optimizing digital channels with real-time data, store teams have often had to make decisions with incomplete inventory visibility and delayed operational signals. That gap matters because stores still account for 80% of U.S. retail sales, making better store-level intelligence a revenue, margin, and customer experience issue — not just a technology upgrade. As RFID adoption matures and AI raises the stakes for cleaner operational data, item-level visibility is becoming a more important layer of retail infrastructure. Radar, a retail technology company that recently raised $170 million in Series B funding at a billion-dollar valuation, reflects that shift, pointing to renewed confidence in tools that help retailers understand not only what inventory they have, but where it is, how it moves, and how associates can act on it in real time.
The shift is being driven by a practical question for retailers: if stores remain central to the business, how can they operate with the same speed, accuracy, and intelligence as digital channels?
On this episode of Retail Refined, host Melissa Gonzalez speaks with Spencer Hewett, founder and CEO of Radar, about how retailers can make physical stores more measurable, responsive, and operationally intelligent. The conversation explores how Radar’s ceiling-mounted sensors and software platform help retailers track inventory in real time, locate products inside stores, support omnichannel fulfillment, and use item-level data to improve store operations, merchandising, demand planning, and customer experience.
Key highlights from the talk…
- Radar’s role in closing the store data gap: Hewett explains how the platform counts inventory continuously and locates items in real time, giving retailers a clearer view of what is available, where it is, and how products move throughout the store.
- Why inventory accuracy is foundational: The discussion highlights how inaccurate inventory can create out-of-stocks, fulfillment issues, missed sales, and flawed demand planning. Hewett argues that improving inventory accuracy gives retailers better data for decision-making and future AI applications.
- How store intelligence supports associates and operations: Gonzalez and Hewett discuss how item-location data can help associates find products faster, fulfill buy online, pick up in store orders more efficiently, and spend more time serving customers instead of searching for merchandise.
Spencer Hewett is the founder and CEO of Radar, a retail technology company building RF sensing technology to automate inventory, analytics, and checkout in physical stores. Since founding the company in 2013, he has led its evolution from an autonomous checkout concept into a broader platform for item-level intelligence, working with retailers representing more than $100 billion in annual sales. Hewett is also a Thiel Fellow and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, with earlier experience in RFID localization, signal processing, e-commerce technology, and startup development.
Article written by MarketScale.
About the author
Industry-recognized influencer, leader, and storyteller in Retail. Lead Retail Industry Contributor at MarketScale. Principal at MG2 Design. Host of "Retail Refined" Podcast. As a global brand and retail experience disruptor, Melissa possess strong proficiency in consumer insights, experiential design, retail technology integration, and brand innovation. During her career, she have created powerful visual narratives through physical spaces, imprinting complex concepts and ideas to consumers in genuine, tactile, and persuasive manners. She have also served as a consumer engagement trendsetter, “pop-up” industry pioneer, and entrepreneur. Melissa founded and launched a consumer experiential design firm that achieved a successful exit, driving initial client wins, monetization, and exponential revenue growth. </br> </br> </br> "Melissa brings both her industry knowledge and an approachable and educational point of view to her interviewing skills. With an authentic style, she facilitates an engaging dialogue, one where listeners can walk away from with tangible insights and thought provokers!" </br> </br> <b>-Jeffrey Roseman, Vice Chairman of Retail at Newmark</b> </br> </br> </br> "What sets Melissa apart is her ability to cut through the noise and provide actionable insights. Whether you’re a store owner looking to revamp your space or a tech enthusiast curious about the next big thing in retail, you’ll find tangible ideas to build on. From seasoned designers to pioneering tech gurus - ensuring that listeners are always engaged with diverse and forward-thinking perspectives. Retail Refined doesn’t just skim the surface; it dives deep into topics that matter. If staying ahead of the retail curve is important to you, start here." </br> </br> <b>-Nate Frazier, Chief Operating Officer of GNC</b>
