Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 478,988 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,288 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 104,725 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,288 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 104,725 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,232 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 478,988 cutting edge ideas.

16 Unstaffed Store Innovations

From Autonomous Convenience Stores to Self-Service Car Showrooms

— December 22, 2017 — Business
In order to better compete with the ease of online shopping, some brick-and-mortar retailers are embracing entirely unstaffed store formats that are powered by technology.

At the staffless 7-Eleven Signature inside of the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, Korea, consumers are able to checkout by using the 'Hand Pay' system to scan their unique palm print. Mobile apps and facial recognition technology are also at the center of many of these stores, facilitating a streamlined shopping experience.

Although many grocery retailers are now adopting self-service apps that allow consumers to bypass long queues with their mobile device, these streamlined systems have yet to be adopted by retailers that deal with luxury items. However, some forward-thinking high-end brands are addressing issues like loss prevention with RFID-enabled security tags that are disabled only after a mobile payment is made. On the extreme end of staffless concepts, car dealerships are exploring self-checkout systems and vending machine-style structures that make "buying cars as easy as buying a can of Coke."
6.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
17
Cat-Shaped Car Dispensers
Cat-Shaped Car Dispensers
Tmall's Super Test-Drive Involves a Car-Dispensing Machine
<
16
Self-Service Car Showrooms
Self-Service Car Showrooms
Imperial Cars Introduced the First-Ever Automotive Self-Checkout
<
15
Unstaffed Convenience Stores
Unstaffed Convenience Stores
Singapore's 'Cheers' Store Encourages Consumers to 'Shop It Yourself'
<
14
Palm Print Payments
Palm Print Payments
Lotte Card's 'Hand Pay' Lets Consumers Pay by Scanning Their Palm
<
13
Facial Recognition Checkout Stations
Facial Recognition Checkout Stations
Self-Service Tills Can Now Confirm a Customer's ID with Yoti
<
12
Express Checkout Apps
Express Checkout Apps
'Perpule 1Pay' Simplifies Retail Payment Systems and Reduces Queues
<
11
Scan-Based Grocery Apps
Scan-Based Grocery Apps
Coop Denmark's 'Bip & Betal' App Lets Shoppers Scan Items on the Go
<
10
Staffless Convenience Stores
Staffless Convenience Stores
Wheelys 247 in Shanghai Introduces a Convenience Store of the Future
<
9
Simplified Shopping Apps
Simplified Shopping Apps
Waitrose's Quick Check Implements a Scan-as-You-Shop System
<
8
Streamlined Checkout Services
Streamlined Checkout Services
Sainsbury's 'SmartShop' Enables Checkout Via a Mobile or Handset
<
7
Mobile Self-Payment Systems
Mobile Self-Payment Systems
Rebecca Minkoff's Self-Checkout Solution is Powered by QueueHop
<
6
Autonomous Bao Restaurants
Autonomous Bao Restaurants
'Wow Bao' is Opening a Staffless Restaurant in Chicago
<
5
Unstaffed Automated Stores
Unstaffed Automated Stores
Suning's Self-Service Stores Show Off Smart Retail Innovations
<
4
Staffless Convenience Shops
Staffless Convenience Shops
China's JD.com Plans to Launch Hundreds of Unmanned Stores
<
3
Self-Serve Shopping Apps
Self-Serve Shopping Apps
Walmart's 'Scan & Go' Helps Consumers Skip the Checkout Line
<
2
In-store Checkout Apps
In-store Checkout Apps
Wal-mart's Scan & Go Technology Helps Customers Skip Busy Checkout Lines
<
1
Autonomous Convenience Stores
Autonomous Convenience Stores
An Unstaffed 'Xiaomai' CPG Store Has Opened in Beijing
<