IT in a supermarket.

4. When an item is passed over the scanner, a sequence of events happens within a very small time space (about half a second). These include  -

• It reads the barcode, and sends the number it represents to the branch computer.
• The branch computer reads the number, then looks it up to give a price of the product and description.
• The data is sent to the EPOS till at the checkout.
• The till then displays the price on the digital display, prints them on a receipt, adds them to the price to the total.
• At the same time, the branch computer records what has been sold.

6. The till operator knows if the item has been read correctly, because the till makes a beeping sound. If the beep doesn’t sound, the till operator puts the item through the till again.
7. The till scales are linked to the branch computer.
8. The till copes with loose fruit by weighing the fruit, and typing the product number into the keyboard, together with the weight of the product and its price.
9. The printer prints out cheques and credit/debit card vouchers, as well as printing off an itemised receipt.

Transferring funds electronically –

1. Many people prefer to pay their bills by credit/debit card, rather than cash.
2. EFT stands for electronic funds transfer.
3. EFT works even if the supermarkets bank and the customer’s bank are different. The credit card is swiped at the card reader, which is then read on via the magnetic strip. The amount spent is then taken out of the bank account, and into the supermarkets account.

Stock Control -

1. Two computers are used at the branch because they back each other up of one fails. If one failed, and there wasn’t another computer, the system would fail.
2. The branch computers are linked to the head office via a telephone line in another part of country.
3. At the end of each day, the branch sends the details of each sale to the main computer at head office.
4. The head office uses this information to update the stock of each product for every branch, and uses this to data to automatically order the correct quantity of goods for the next delivery.
5. The data is also used for updating any price changes descriptions of new items and any special offers on items to each branch. It also uses the information to build up a profile of how their customers are shopping, and what they are buying.
6. This is useful to companies because it provides information on how much of an item to reorder for the next delivery, and how much shelf space each item should have.

Pricing –

1. The price of each product is held at the branch computer.
2. The price gets to the EPOS till when the product’s barcode is read.
3. The only other places, apart from the branch computer, where the prices are held are where the items are displayed, on the shelf near the product.
4. This is an advantage to the company because prices can be updated easily, by just changing the prices on the branch computer, which is a lot easier and efficient than putting new prices over the old ones on the shelves.
5. But this is a disadvantage to the shoppers because the prices could take a long time to update on the branch computer, and then they have to be updated on the shelves, which is an even longer process. Plus, they could be overcharged for items unnecessarily  
6. New labels are printed at night, and are ready top be put on shelves in the morning.
7. Special offers are easy to do using a computer because when the product is scanned, it is checked on the branch computer for any special offers, and is then discounted from the customer’s bill where applicable.

Freezers and chiller cabinets –

1. Computers control the freezers in the warehouse by using temperature sensors inside each one. The computer then switches the cooling motors on and off accordingly.
2. Computers control the freezers in the supermarket by all being linked to the branch freezer. The individual freezers send back data to the branch freezer, which processes this data to figure out if the individual freezer is at the correct temperature, maintaining the correct temperature at all times.
3. This helps with defrosting and breakdowns because there is a display on the front of each freezer, and id defrosted every three hours to prevent breakdowns and wastage of food.

Advantages of IT in a supermarket –

The advantages to the customer and managers of the supermarket include

• Stock control is more efficient. So there is less chance of goods being out of stock.
• The checkout is more efficient and there is less chance of staff making errors.
• Sales forecasting and profiles can be made, which leads to more efficient use of shelf space.
• Little warehouse space is needed in each supermarket because the efficient distribution system.
• The performance of the checkout staff can be monitored.
• Shelf pricing is more cost effective than labelling each product separately.
• The ability to use electronic funds transfer improves cash flow.
• Chilled down frozen goods can be managed effectively.