Bucherer is the largest specialist retail group for watches and jewelry in Switzerland. The traditional retail and service company also manufactures jewelry and watches in its own ateliers. Over 1,100 employees from 38 nations are employed in 37 retail stores, 8 of which are located in German-speaking Europe.

The retail product range comprises around 50,000 articles, two-thirds of which are gold jewelry, diamonds and pearls, and one-third watches - from the classic stainless steel quartz watch to the mechanical masterpieces of the major watch manufacturers. In addition, there are another 10,000 items, semi-finished products and components from the factory.

Inventory out of the Suitcase For some time now, a new mobile inventory solution from DENSO's partner Spirig Systems GmbH of Switzerland has been in use with DENSO devices. Prior to the actual inventory, compact, robust cases are delivered to the stores, containing the proven BHT-800 series handheld terminals, as well as battery chargers with spare batteries and communication units. The inventory cases have internal cabling with mains connection to supply the chargers on site.

The storage locations (compartments, showcases, display windows) in the retail stores as well as all items are provided with a unique barcode. All inventory data is recorded using DENSO's handheld terminals. After transferring the data to the merchandise management system (direct connection via TCP/IP), post-processing/differential lists are immediately available on site. This concept makes it possible to completely stock a point of sale with about 5,000 articles, distributed over compartments, display cases and shop windows, with four people in just under three hours.

From Bucherer's point of view, the mobile data collection solution with the DENSO devices has more than exceeded expectations: After a short instruction, the staff is familiar with the effortless handling of the BHT-800 and software. The simple and secure recording guarantees a fast and reliable inventory. The direct connection to the merchandise management system via TCP/IP enables an absolutely reliable, flexible and very fast data exchange.

No unnecessary waiting times The advantages of the "suitcase solution" are obvious: The equipment is easy to transport. The completeness of the equipment can be checked at a glance, both before and after the inventory. This reduces the likelihood that an inventory will have to be postponed due to missing equipment or that costly waiting times will occur. The internal power supply prevents "cable spaghetti", and thanks to the small dimensions of the case, little space is taken up in the store. The DENSO handheld terminals used are not only extremely robust, but also very light, which is particularly appreciated by the ladies in the sales outlets. Due to the lithium-ion batteries used in the DENSO devices, there is sufficient energy available, which enables the inventory to be carried out without interruption. The inventory solution was planned together with Bucherer's IT department and implemented by Spirig Systems GmbH.