Honeywell has launched a new AI-enabled Smart Shopping Platform aimed at personalising and simplifying in-store shopping, as brick-and-mortar retailers look to replicate the convenience and intelligence of e-commerce within physical stores. The solution has been developed in collaboration with Google Cloud and 66degrees.
Announced in Mumbai, the platform leverages Google’s Gemini models and Google Cloud’s Vertex AI to help shoppers locate products quickly, compare alternatives and receive relevant substitutions when items are out of stock. According to Honeywell, the goal is to reduce friction in physical retail environments while enabling retailers to deploy advanced AI capabilities without building in-house AI teams.
Bridging digital intelligence with physical retail
The Smart Shopping Platform is a cloud-based solution designed to connect a retailer’s digital product and inventory data with the physical store layout. Built on Honeywell’s Mobility Edge hardware and software platform, the system delivers personalised guidance, real-time product information and AI-driven recommendations directly to shoppers and store associates.
David Barker, President, Honeywell Productivity Solutions and Services, said the platform is intended to address common in-store pain points for customers while offering retailers a ready-to-deploy AI solution. He said, “There is nothing more frustrating than roaming through a store unable to find the last item on your grocery list or forgetting the key part needed to complete a home repair. The Smart Shopping Platform addresses these pain points, creating a better experience for shoppers. Retailers also benefit from an ‘out of the box’ AI solution they can implement without having to maintain a team of AI experts.”
Personalised shopping using AI and loyalty data
When accessed on Honeywell Android-based devices such as the CS32 Personal Shopper, the platform allows customers to link their loyalty accounts to unlock personalised recommendations. These recommendations are generated using purchase history, stated preferences, complementary product insights and active promotions.
The platform also provides step-by-step in-store navigation, helping customers locate products efficiently. If an item is unavailable, the system uses AI to suggest suitable alternatives, mirroring the substitution experience common in online retail.
Enhancing store associate productivity
Beyond customer-facing use cases, the Smart Shopping Platform is also designed to support retail associates. Employees equipped with devices such as the Honeywell CT70 can use the platform to deliver customised, data-backed guidance to shoppers, effectively acting as in-store subject matter experts.
According to Honeywell, this capability enables associates to quickly respond to customer queries—for example, identifying new product locations or recommending alternatives—without manual searching or reliance on static store maps. Devices like the CT70 are already used by retail staff across grocery chains, big-box retailers and specialty stores globally.
Google Cloud’s role in retail AI adoption
Jose Gomes, Vice President, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods at Google Cloud, said the collaboration demonstrates how AI can be embedded into frontline retail operations through specialised hardware, “The Smart Shopping Platform uses Google Cloud’s AI to turn Honeywell devices into intelligent companions for both shoppers and staff. This collaboration integrates AI with specialised hardware to streamline operations inside the retail store and guide consumers through an efficient and delightful shopping journey.”
As retailers increasingly explore AI-driven personalisation beyond online channels, Honeywell’s Smart Shopping Platform reflects a broader industry shift toward blending digital intelligence with physical retail infrastructure to improve customer experience, operational efficiency and employee productivity.