HomeBase USA is trialling autonomous shelf-scanning robots at two stores in Copperas Cove, Texas and Laramie, Wyoming to improve inventory accuracy and free up store employees to spend more time with customers.

The home improvement retailer has partnered with retail technology company Simbe to deploy its Tally robot, which scans shelves multiple times a day to capture real-time data on product availability, pricing, and product placement.

HomeBase USA said the technology will help tackle the challenges of managing large-format stores that stock tens of thousands of products across categories including lumber, hardware, building supplies, farm, ranch, and lawn and garden.

The retailer said employees can spend up to 30 hours each week carrying out manual inventory checks, which are often repetitive and prone to errors. It added that these tasks are among the least popular with store associates and contribute to staff leaving the firm.

Tally automates shelf checks by identifying out-of-stock items, pricing discrepancies, and misplaced products. The information is made available immediately through a mobile app and dashboard, allowing store teams to prioritise the most urgent issues.

HomeBase USA said it expects the technology to reduce stock availability issues while enabling employees to focus on customer service and other higher-value tasks.

Simbe said Tally has been designed to operate safely alongside shoppers, navigating store aisles while pausing when areas become busy.
HomeBase USA said it will use the pilot to evaluate the technology before considering a wider rollout across its store estate.

"Getting inventory right is fundamental to our business, and with Tally, we're equipping our teams with the insights they need to succeed,” Mark Dremel, district manager at HomeBase. "This pilot is an exciting step toward improving both operational performance and the in-store experience, and we're eager to see
Tally's impact as we look to scale."

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