Systems and methods are provided to address incorrectly placed items. Some systems comprise: a plurality of motorized transport units that are each configured to perform multiple different tasks at a retail shopping facility; and a central computer system configured to instruct various ones of the plurality of motorized transport units to implement at least one of the multiple different tasks relative to the retail shopping facility, receive and analyze input data detected and provided by the motorized transport units while the motorized transport units perform the at least one of the tasks, and detect and categorize each item of multiple items that are incorrectly placed within the retail shopping facility according to one of multiple different predefined categories.

An article management system includes RFID tags (102) fixed above a reader transmission line (101), a metal sheet (103) having an opening (103a) at positions corresponding to RFID tags (102) located within an assigned position (108) assigned to place an article (106), a tag reading unit (104) that reads the plurality of RFID tags (102) by electromagnetic coupling through the reader transmission line (101), and an article presence/absence determination unit (105) that determines presence or absence of the article (106) at the assigned position (108) on the metal sheet (103) based on results of reading the plurality of RFID tags (102). It is thereby possible to manage articles at high speed even when a plurality of RFID tags are placed.

Techniques are provided for an interactive point of purchase product display. The interactive point of purchase product display includes a product placement region, one or more products located in the product placement region, an input device configured to receive an input signal, a controller device, and a selection indicator device. The input device may receive data about a potential consumer or customer. The controller device is coupled to the input device and the one or more products and is configured to receive data from the input device responsive to the input signal, select a product in response to the receive input and generate a selection signal identifying the product resulting in the attention of a customer to be drawn to the product.

An exemplary display system is disclosed, which includes a display wall having a plurality of slots; a plurality of removable shelves, each removable shelf insertable into a slot of the plurality of slots; a plurality of unique identifiers, each unique identifier coupled to a corresponding removable shelf; a fixed shelf having an embedded or attached sensor; and a user-interactive visual display. Various systems display plumbing fixtures. In exemplary embodiments, the unique identifiers are implemented using RFID tags.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for restoring shopping space conditions are provided. A system for restoring shopping space conditions comprises a motorized transport unit comprising at least one sensor, and a central computer system comprising a wireless transceiver for communicating with the motorized transport unit. The central computer system being configured to: identify a section of a shopping space having a dropped item, instruct the motorized transport unit to travel to the section of the shopping space and collect information associated with the dropped item using the at least one sensor, determine a characteristic of the dropped item in the section of the shopping space using the at least one sensor of the motorized transport unit, and select a cleaning task from a plurality of cleaning tasks based on the characteristic of the dropped item.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining item availability are provided. A computer implemented method for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising: receiving a request for an item for purchase from a customer, querying an inventory database to determine whether the item for purchase is in stock, in an event that the item for purchase is not in stock according to the inventory database: determining an out of stock response to present to the customer, in an event that the item for purchase is in stock according the inventory database: instructing a motorized transport unit to travel to a display space in the shopping space corresponding to the item for the purchase, determining whether the item is available in the display space based on information captured by one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, and in an event that the item for purchase is not available in the display space: determining an item unavailable response to present to the customer.

Some embodiments provide methods, systems and apparatus to enhance safety. In some embodiments, a system comprises: a central computer system comprising: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of: communicate positioning routing instructions to the plurality of motorized transport units directing the motorized transport units to one or more external areas of a shopping facility that are exposed to weather conditions; and communicate separate area routing instructions to each of the motorized transport units that when implemented cause the motorized transport units to cooperatively and in concert travel in accordance with the area routing instructions over at least predefined portions of one or more external areas to cause ground treatment systems to address ground level conditions.

Some embodiments include a track system comprising: an elevated track system comprising a series of elevated tracks that are positioned elevated above a sales floor and products distributed over at least a portion of the sales floor of a shopping facility, and configured such that multiple motorized transport units travel along the series of elevated tracks in traversing at least portions of the shopping facility.

A central computer system directs a motorized transport unit through a retail shopping facility to a particular mobile item container having at least one item disposed therein, that item being designated for return to a particular department within the retail shopping facility such that this item can then again be presented for sale. After causing that motorized transport unit to physically attach to this mobile item container, the central computer system then directs that motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility with the attached particular mobile item container to the one or more departments to which the item or items are to be so returned.

A central computer system identifies a mobile item container in a retail shopping facility as being abandoned. The central computer system then directs a motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility to the abandoned mobile item container and causes that motorized transport unit to physically attach to the abandoned mobile item container. The central computer system then directs that motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility with the attached abandoned mobile item container to a specified destination within the retail shopping facility. Abandonment can be determined as a function, at least in part, of determining that the mobile item container is both stationary and unattended for at least a predetermined amount of time. By one approach the central computer system can use different predetermined amounts of time when assessing abandonment depending upon where in the retail shopping facility the mobile item containers are located.