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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
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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
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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
<