Beacon Lighting has deployed wi-fi across its 109 retail stores, which it will use to set up smart home demonstration zones in each location.

Chief information officer Mick Tan told IoTHub that the wi-fi network, which is underpinned by Riverbed Xirrus access points, would be used to help the retailer educate consumers on the benefits and requirements of smart home automation setups.

“What we’re doing at Beacon is creating an area where we put smart lights by Phillips and LIFX in two different areas [of each store],” he said.

“We attach them to a Google Home and Amazon Echo and we talk to them. We’re actually demonstrating to customers how it works and what you need device-wise to have it in your house.”

Tan said that Beacon Lighting will also make its own foray into the smart lighting space within months, launching its own brand of lights that would be more cost effective than the big brand systems already in-market.

Tan told IoTHub that he has been testing Beacon’s own smart lighting technology in his house.

“I'm experimenting with the products from our manufacturer and have become the test case for them,” he said.

“I like that when I’m watching TV I can lower the lights, or that if I’m not home in winter by 6pm the light is on [automatically] so my dogs are happy [and] can see where they’re going.”

Tan also revealed that Beacon Lighting may also use the wi-fi network to trial some beacon technology in stores for location-based marketing and footfall traffic measurement purposes.

It may also look at smart price tags on products on the showroom floor.