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A senior-led, high-touch engagement

Real-world retail AI consulting, grounded in live store data

CIMARA Ask AI is the pillar of our consulting work. We use it with your existing retail system, starting with Counterpoint and CIMARA Core, to turn sales, inventory and margin data into plain-English answers, charts and merchandise recommendations your team can act on.

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Retail AI consulting, in brief

We listen first, wire Ask to your data, and start with a focused pilot. Coming soon to CIMARA Core: the same CIMARA Ask AI, built right into daily workflows, with no manual entry.

See how Ask reads your merchandise

Type the question the way you would ask a buyer, and Ask returns a finished chart.

The software is CIMARA Ask AI.

Guided by Kevin Bowden

Founder of CIMARA (Frontier Retail, Inc.) · Over 5 years in AI

MIT Professional Education, Artificial Intelligence

Kevin Bowden, founder of CIMARA (Frontier Retail, Inc.), started out building software for CPAs and has spent 45 years working with retail business software and integrations. CIMARA is built from years of retail technology experience for specialty retail customers. We listen to retailers first and help them get the most from their technology. Kevin is supported by a brilliant and experienced team of architects, engineers and quality control specialists creating the next generation of retail platform, one that truly leverages intelligence to improve success and create meaningful efficiency.

Talk with Kevin

What we do

Wire Ask to the data that matters.

We sit with your operators, learn how the store actually runs, and wire Ask to the data that matters. You get live dashboards, buy signals and history analysis today. Coming soon to CIMARA Core: the same CIMARA Ask AI, built right into your daily workflows. Its merchandise recommendations become ready-to-review purchase orders, transfers and markdowns with no manual entry, saving untold hours of tedious data analysis so you can make informed decisions with the reasoning to back them up.

Ready-to-review actions in CIMARA Core wait until a person posts the purchase order, transfer, or markdown.

Built to adapt

The Host is the switch layer.

Ask isn't locked to one platform. The Host is the switch layer, so the same AI experience can connect to other retail systems. If you run something besides Counterpoint or CIMARA, we can still put Ask to work for you.

CIMARA Ask AI works with CIMARA Core, and with NCR Counterpoint for shops still on it. NCR Counterpoint shops keep that file while Ask is wired in.

Who it's for

Specialty retailers and multi-location operators.

Specialty retailers and multi-location operators who want AI that earns its keep on the sales floor, not another demo that never leaves the conference room.

How we start

Discovery, a Host install, then a focused pilot.

A short discovery call, a Host install against your data and a focused pilot on the reports and recommendations that move the needle for you.

A short discovery call

We sit with your operators and learn how the store actually runs before anyone wires a report.

A Host install against your data

The Host is the switch layer. It connects Ask to the sales, inventory and margin you choose to share.

A focused pilot

The pilot stays on the reports and recommendations that move the needle for you. Senior people stay with the team.

CIMARA Ask AI

The screen your team asks from.

Plain English in. A chart from your own sales out. These are the live Ask screens.

CIMARA Ask AI current activity for Frontier Retail, with sales by store still on the register. — Current. Sales by store, still on the register.

CIMARA Ask AI history for Frontier Retail, with sales by department. — History. What sold, by department.

CIMARA Ask AI past days for Frontier Retail, covering the last 13 months. — Past days. The last 13 months.

A gift shop shelf of colorful goods, vases, and wrapped items. — The retailer stays on the merchandise. CIMARA brings the questions.

From a live demo

A plain-English question. A finished chart.

Sample data. Ask a question in plain English and get a chart back. The chart sits on Ask's data plumbing.

Horizontal bar chart of the top five items by net sales for a destination aquarium, March through August. — Sample data. Top five items, March through August.

FAQ

Questions about retail AI consulting

What is retail AI consulting?

Retail AI consulting is a senior-led, high-touch engagement. CIMARA Ask AI is the pillar of the work. We use it with your existing retail system, starting with Counterpoint and CIMARA Core, to turn sales, inventory and margin data into plain-English answers, charts and merchandise recommendations your team can act on.

Which retail systems does the consulting work with?

Consulting starts with Counterpoint and CIMARA Core. Ask isn't locked to one platform. The Host is the switch layer, so the same AI experience can connect to other retail systems. If you run something besides Counterpoint or CIMARA, we can still put Ask to work for you. CIMARA Ask AI works with CIMARA Core, and with NCR Counterpoint for shops still on it.

Does a person review AI actions before they post?

Yes. You get live dashboards, buy signals and history analysis today. Coming soon to CIMARA Core: the same CIMARA Ask AI, built right into your daily workflows. Its merchandise recommendations become ready-to-review purchase orders, transfers and markdowns with no manual entry, saving untold hours of tedious data analysis so you can make informed decisions with the reasoning to back them up. Ask only recommends.

How does a pilot work?

A pilot starts with a short discovery call, a Host install against your data, and a focused pilot on the reports and recommendations that move the needle for you. Senior people stay with the team through that pilot.

How is store data handled?

Our consultants use AI tools on the reports you choose to share. Ask limits each answer by the person's security role and by the question asked. The Host connects only to the data you choose to connect.

Who is retail AI consulting for?

Specialty retailers and multi-location operators who want AI that earns its keep on the sales floor, not another demo that never leaves the conference room.

Does this page list a price?

No. This page does not list prices. Book a consultation and we will scope a pilot with you.

Talk with us

Book a consultation.

A short discovery call is how a senior-led pilot starts. This page does not list prices.

CIMARA Ask AI · CIMARA Core