Beyond the Barcode: How Peak Technologies Powers the Connected Store
Retail finds itself in an era where speed, accuracy, and consistency are no longer differentiators; they are expectations. Customers expect inventory to be accurate, fulfillment to be fast, and service between digital and physical channels to feel seamless.
Yet behind the scenes, many retailers are still working with fragmented systems and disconnected data. The promise of the connected store is compelling, but execution remains difficult. As retailers prepare for NRF 2026, the goal isn’t just about seeing Ryan Reynolds in person. Retail’s Big Show presents an opportunity to explore what it actually takes to operate a connected store at scale.
The Problem: A Connected Experience Built on Disconnected Systems
Retailers today face mounting pressure to move faster while maintaining accuracy. As Tony Rivers of Peak Technologies recently explained on The New Warehouse Podcast, “Amazon has created the world of same-day expectations. And so that’s put a lot of pressure on the supply chain to be able to produce product quickly, get the right product to the right places at the right times.”
That pressure exposes a deeper challenge. Many retail environments still rely on legacy systems. Retailers find that these systems cannot operate in real time or across multiple channels. In addition, information often lives in silos, forcing teams to rely on manual processes and delayed reporting.
Rivers points to the core issue: “It’s all about real-time information and information at the point of activity.” Without that visibility, even the best omnichannel strategies begin to fracture. Inventory becomes unreliable. Fulfillment slows. Customer trust erodes.
Kevin Lawton echoes this reality from an industry-wide perspective, noting, “There’s so much technology now, and so many options, it can be overwhelming.” The challenge is no longer access to tools, but knowing which ones to pick and how to connect them meaningfully.
The Turning Point: Connecting Data to Action
The shift toward the connected store begins when retailers stop treating technology as isolated tools and start viewing it as an integrated system. At the heart of that transformation is real-time data and retail communications software.
Rivers explains how that shift changes decision-making on the floor: “We use the real-time capture of the information combined with the analytics and the models to allow you to make real-time business decisions.” Instead of reacting after the fact, teams can act in the moment to reroute inventory, correct errors, or respond to demand as it happens.
The convergence of technology spells good news for warehouses as technologies like RFID, machine vision, and analytics solve common warehouse challenges. RFID enables product tracking without manual scanning. Vision systems add a layer of verification, confirming what is moving, where it is going, and in what condition. Together, they create a level of operational clarity that was previously unattainable.
As Rivers puts it, “You need that visibility all the way through. And all of those touch points need to be triangulated so that you know exactly where the product is.”
The Solution: A Smarter, More Connected Operation
What makes today’s connected store possible isn’t one breakthrough technology. It’s the ability to combine many of them effectively. That combination is what allows retailers to move faster without increasing labor or complexity.
Lawton points out: “We’ve gone beyond the barcode.” While barcodes remain essential, they are now part of a broader ecosystem that includes RFID, analytics, and real-time communication tools.
Rivers reinforces that evolution, noting, “Barcoding will never go away, but we’re enabling people to do more with less.” The goal is not to replace existing systems, but to enhance them with intelligence and automation.
Hence, the concept of connected retail. When data flows freely between systems, retailers can anticipate problems, reduce friction, and respond with confidence. Rivers explains that when pallets move through the operation, Peak’s vision systems quietly validate movement, where the product is going, and whether it’s in good condition.
Lawton highlights the payoff of that integration: “Being able to do those two things at once is a huge efficiency gain.” Speed and accuracy no longer have to be trade-offs. Rivers captures the significance of this moment clearly: “We have the ability now to combine all these technologies and solve some really difficult business challenges that 20 years ago we couldn’t have solved.”
Why Connected Retail Matters Now More Than Ever
The connected store is reshaping how stores operate, how inventory flows, and how customer experiences are delivered. No longer a concept of the future, the connected store is a present-day reality built on real-time visibility, integrated systems, and the ability to act on data when it matters most. For retailers, connecting the dots isn’t just about better technology; it’s about a stronger, more resilient operation.
Be sure to visit Peak Technologies at NRF to see how real-time data and connected systems power the modern store, and connect with The New Warehouse team on-site to continue the conversation.
Hear more on how Peak Technologies is expanding data capture capabilities in this recent podcast.
