No need to queue, no manned cashier – creating a "100% contactless" shopping experience, providing better service for teachers and students

Customer requirements

The EHI Retail Institute of Germany also mentioned in its latest "2021 Retail Technology Trends" that an increasing number of offline retail stores are prioritizing the transformation towards automation. Furthermore, 29% of operators believe that automation is a major trend in the industry.

On one hand, in European countries, especially in Germany, retail store operating hours are known for being strictly regulated. On the other hand, with the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the offline consumer experience has once again faced restrictions. These limitations in the shopping experience have accelerated the exploration and implementation of automated stores by various retail brands in Germany.

As one of Germany's top retail brands, the Schwarz Group ranked fourth in the 2020 Deloitte Retail 250, owning major sub-brands such as Lidl and Kaufland, with over 12,500 stores worldwide. The group aims to introduce Cloudpick's AI system, utilizing unmanned cashier and unmanned operation methods. This approach allows offline retail to provide customers with a 24/7, convenient, and efficient new shopping experience while moving towards smart retail.

Cloudpick Solution

They have adopted the Cloudpick AI Smart Solution, crafted with cutting-edge technologies such as AI computer vision, deep learning, and multi-sensor fusion:

• Cloudpick Moby Mart: A mobile smart store that can quickly deploy in various outdoor scenarios, enabling swift openings. Leveraging computer vision, machine learning, and multi-sensor fusion technology, it accurately identifies customer actions of picking up and placing items, facilitating automatic checkout as customers exit.

Result

On March 15, 2021, the automated store "shop.box" located at the Cooperative State University Baden-Württemberg (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg, abbreviated as DHBW) in Germany officially opened. This marks a new pilot project by the Schwarz Group as part of its strategy to advance digital retail.

Contactless Payment: Simplifying Shopping and Facing the Pandemic

shop.box is open to all students and staff at DHBW. Before entering the store for the first time, individuals need to register using their campus card ID in the app and add the respective payment method. Subsequently, each time before entering the store, users can open the app, shake their phones to generate a new QR code, and scan it at the designated area to unlock the door for shopping.

During the shopping process, the Cloudpick AI system tracks the actions of students and staff, as well as the information about selected items, automatically adding chosen products to the virtual shopping cart and removing them if put back.

Within seconds after leaving the store, users can receive the details of their expenses through the app. To accommodate different usage habits in various countries, the system also supports sending personal bills via email.

It is worth mentioning that this contactless shopping model, with no need for queuing or manned cashier, enables shop.box to achieve a "100% touchless" shopping experience, providing convenience and peace of mind. Even if students and staff are wearing masks, it does not interfere with recognition. The AI cameras inside the store can accurately track movement trajectories and actions, ensuring a shopping experience similar to pre-pandemic times.

One Store, Multiple Functions: From Campus Practice to Serving Students and Staff

After extensive analysis, surveys, and discussions, students at DHBW selected more than 250 products for shop.box based on the needs in the campus environment. These products not only include snacks, fruits, and beverages for daily high-frequency purchases but also include items like refreshing foods for classes and self-study.

As a result, whether someone misses mealtime due to limited operating hours or experiences hunger during peak dining periods, everyone can quickly purchase and enjoy each meal at shop.box. The location across from the library allows students and staff studying there to replenish energy and revitalize their tired minds and bodies at any time. After a day of "struggle," they can conveniently take some milk, fruits, etc., as breakfast for the next day.

Professor Stephen Lushen expressed that the appearance of shop.box on campus serves not only as a practical platform to support the research, development, innovation, and implementation of campus projects but also brings innovative and futuristic retail technology to provide more convenience for students and staff. It is undoubtedly a win-win situation.

Container Solution: From Rapid Deployment to Widespread Implementation

According to Robert Radke, the project leader of the Schwartz Group Campus Service Center, the newly opened shop.box is a container-type automated store. It is compact, providing significant flexibility in terms of transportation, localization, and can easily be placed in various "corners" of the campus scene.

Simultaneously, the appearance of the container can be flexibly designed according to contextualized implementations. By using seemingly fluid metal outer walls, shop.box presents a futuristic and technological image, seamlessly integrating with the modern architecture on campus and aligning with DHBW's innovative spirit.

Customer Testimonial

Andreas Lauber, the Head of IT Department at Schwartz Group, stated that unlike the traditional method of waiting in line for settlement in regular stores, this new retail solution can automatically charge customers when they make a purchase, deducting the amount directly from their accounts upon exiting. In the future, the so-called "checkout process" may no longer exist.