How Smart Lockers Are Transforming Device Management in UK Retail

Smart lockers are quietly transforming UK retail operations. Discover how leading retailers are cutting queues, reducing device loss and unlocking productivity gains across every shift.

Distribution centres and stores rely on handheld scanners, mobile terminals and other connected devices more than ever before. These devices now sit at the heart of picking, replenishment, customer service and fulfilment, making their availability and condition critical to daily performance.

Yet many organisations still manage these critical assets using manual processes. Devices are handed out to staff by a single supervisor and are often left unsecured between shifts. The result is queues, lost time, damaged equipment and limited visibility for IT and operations teams.

Smart lockers are changing this. Quietly working behind the scenes, they remove friction from daily operations, protect high-value assets and support productivity at scale.

The real cost of manual device management

In many retail stores and warehouses, the start and end of every shift create unnecessary pressure. Employees queue to collect or return scanners, terminals or mobile devices. Faulty equipment is discovered too late. Accountability is unclear, and IT is pulled into manual, time-consuming tracking and reporting.

These inefficiencies may feel small in isolation, but multiplied across sites, shifts and peak trading periods, they can add up quickly. Lost picking minutes, device damage and replacement costs all hit the bottom line. Just as importantly, they affect staff experience and operational resilience.

THG, a UK-based e-commerce and technology group operating high-volume fulfilment centres, faced similar pressures as its operations scaled. By introducing Ricoh Smart Lockers, THG cut device issue and return times by up to 50% per shift, giving teams back valuable picking minutes. The increased accountability changed behaviour too, with THG reporting zero damaged devices since going live, alongside better visibility for IT through real-time reporting and alerts.

From manual handovers to connected infrastructure

Smart lockers replace manual handovers with a secure, automated process. Devices are issued and returned through authenticated access, linking each asset to an individual user. Rules can be set around usage time, with alerts triggered if equipment is not returned or flagged as faulty.

Because the system is connected, managers gain real-time visibility across locations. They can see who is using what, where devices are located and when action is needed. This turns asset management from a reactive task into a controlled, auditable process.

For employees, the experience is simple and quick. For operations teams, it means fewer queues, less intervention and smoother shift changeovers. For IT and finance, it delivers clearer accountability and better protection of investment.

Productivity, protection and measurable return

Used at scale, smart lockers deliver clear commercial value:

• Faster device issue and return, freeing up productive minutes on every shift

• Reduced loss and damage of business-critical devices
• Lower administrative burden on IT and operations teams
• Improved care of assets through clear accountability
• Reliable data to support audits, forecasting and decision-making

Ricoh has implemented its Smart Lockers in many large UK retailers and e-commerce operators. Each case has demonstrated that automating device management significantly reduces loss while improving productivity:

• Major UK retailer: Queue times at shift changes reduced from around 15 minutes to 5 minutes per person, increasing available picking time and significantly reducing loss and damage of handheld terminals across multiple distribution centres. ROI achieved within 6 months, driven by reduced device loss and saved staff time.
• Global logistics provider: Annual savings achieved by cutting scanner damage to almost zero, supported by real-time tracking and automated alerts that removed the need for manual oversight.
• Leading UK luxury retailer: Improved accountability for high-value in-store and warehouse devices, delivering rapid payback through reduced loss, fewer delays and smoother daily operations.

Together, these deployments show how time savings at the start of every shift, combined with better care of assets, translate into measurable operational and financial benefits at scale.

Supporting store, warehouse and click-and-collect operations

The value of Smart Lockers extends beyond distribution centres. In retail environments, they support:

• Secure management of in-store devices such as mobile POS and tablets
• Click and collect and returns without adding staffing pressure
• Controlled access to keys, radios, sensitive documents, PPE and shared equipment

By standardising processes, retailers create consistency across stores and warehouses, even as operations grow more complex.

Why a joined-up approach matters

The value of smart lockers depends on how well they are planned, deployed and managed. Simply installing hardware is not enough. Lockers need to be placed correctly, integrated into workflows and supported by reliable software and service.

Ricoh’s Smart Locker approach starts with understanding operational challenges and designing a solution that fits the reality of your logistics environment. This includes consultancy, deployment, software integration and ongoing monitoring and support. 

We’ve now deployed more than 1,000 Smart Lockers across the UK. And with over 300 Ricoh service engineers on the ground, we’re here to support your operations across the country.

Join us at the Retail Technology Show

We’re attending the Retail Technology Show 2026 on 22 and 23 April. Come say hello to our team at stand K40. You’ll get to see our smart lockers in action, as well as how our AV solutions will evolve your front-of-house experience for customers.