Amazon plans to open as many as six more cashier-less Amazon Go stores this year — Recode — “Some of the new high-tech stores are likely to open in Amazon’s hometown of Seattle, where the first location is based, as well as Los Angeles… It’s not clear if Amazon will open up Go stores in any other cities this year.”
FPOS
Walmart adds Store Assistant mode to mobile shopping app
Your shopping trip just got easier with this new store assistant — Walmart — “Next time you visit your local store and open the app, you’ll notice that the Walmart app transforms into Store Assistant. All of the tools you need to make shopping fast and easy, such as Walmart Pay, will be right at your fingertips. We’ve also made the product search bar and the scanner easier to find, so you can quickly read reviews, find items in store and double-check prices.”
Amazon tests its own QR codes
Amazon is experimenting with its own QR code style ‘SmileCodes’ — Techcrunch — “Amazon has apparently been testing these codes in pop-up shops and Amazon Lockers in Europe for a few weeks now, but the company says these codes will make their US debut in a few different magazines (Cosmopolitan and Seventeen) come February… It’s probably safe to assume we’ll eventually see Amazon tinker with putting these codes on another massively common canvas: its own boxes.”
Survey finds sales uplift in stores with mobile POS devices
In-store mobile could generate a 146% revenue boost in 2018 — Retail TouchPoints — “Retailers that are deploying in-store mobile POS saw a 24% average increase in sales in 2017 over retailers who don’t implement mobility in-store… Only 34% of retailers have deployed mobile POS, while 42% have armed their employees with mobile devices without a POS platform.”
One in five Americans are using voice assistants and chatbots for commerce
Securing conversational commerce: How to make your interactions with virtual assistants safer — Mastercard — “Voice-based and text-based agents are commonly used for basic informational tasks ranging from performing an internet search, to finding the nearest restaurant and giving simple commands such as making a phone call. But a growing number of people are using this interface for more complex tasks, with 21% of respondents using this technology to shop, pay bills, bank online or send money.”
Shell pilots RFID system that scans all the items in a shopping basket in one go
Supermarket checkout designed to scan entire shopping basket trialled in London — Evening Standard — “Each shopping item has a tiny ‘radio frequency identification’ chip embedded in it… The customer first places their items on a scanning platform, which displays the full list on a screen. They open a smartphone app and tap the device on a reader to deduct payment from an account linked to a card app, such as Apple Pay or Android Pay, and are then emailed a receipt.”
Walmart expands Scan & Go mobile self-checkout pilot to 100 more stores
Why We’re Helping More Customers Scan and Go — Walmart — “The app allows customers to scan and bag items, including produce, while they shop and pay directly with their phones… Once customers are done shopping and have paid for their items, they simply walk through the Mobile Express lane on their way out… Customers see the price of individual items as they scan them along with a running total.”
Dunkin’ Donuts offers faster pickups to customers who order via mobile
Dunkin’ Donuts unveils next generation concept store in Quincy, MA — Dunkin’ Donuts — “An exclusive On-the-Go drive-thru lane lets DD Perks members who order ahead via Dunkin’s mobile app bypass the ordering lane and merge straight into the line for the pickup window… Dunkin’ Donuts has also introduced an area dedicated to mobile pickups, so that members of the DD Perks Rewards program who order ahead via Dunkin’s mobile app can get in and out of the restaurant faster than ever before.”
Walt Disney World to pilot cashless resort concept
Walt Disney World to test cashless resort concept at Animal Kingdom Lodge in February — WDW News Today — “Walt Disney World will be testing a cashless environment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge during a limited pilot program beginning February 12th, 2018. Jambo House at the Resort will be the first location to accept electronic payment only for all purchases and services… Valid forms of payments that will be accepted include MagicBands, credit cards, debit cards, Disney Gift Cards, Disney Rewards Redemption Cards and electronic payments methods such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay.”
WeChat opens unmanned store in Shanghai
WeChat opens its first unmanned store in Shanghai — ECNS — “Shoppers need to scan a QR code with their WeChat app to enter the store. Sensors at the exit detect the shopper’s selections and automatically charge their WeChat wallet when they go through a ‘payment door’… WeChat payment industry operations director Bai Zhenjie said it takes less than 0.1 seconds for a customer to pay a bill. He added that facial and image recognition technology may be adopted in the store in the future.”
Amazon opens its cashierless store to the public
Amazon Go cashierless convenience store opening to the public — The Seattle Times — “The store requires customers to scan their smartphone on the way in, tracks them with cameras and other sensors as they browse, and, when they take an item off the shelf, adds it to a virtual cart. Groceries are charged to the customer’s Amazon account when they leave with their goods.”
Starbucks tests cashless store concept in Seattle
Starbucks tests no-cash policy at downtown Seattle store — Seattle Times — “Starbucks is experimenting with refusing cash at a posh location in downtown Seattle… ‘The test will help us understand how cashless forms of payment may impact our customer experience,’ the spokeswoman said.”
Malaysia’s first cashierless store opens in Subang Jaya
Malaysia’s first self-service convenience store has opened in Subang Jaya — Says — “Following the likes of Amazon and Alibaba, an e-payment operator has opened Malaysia’s first unmanned, self-service convenience store… Customers are required to download the Irispay app, fill in personal details, and scan the QR code on the products before making payment.”
Seat tests grocery deliveries direct to customers’ cars
Seat and Saba present Droppit, the app that delivers your grocery shopping directly to your parked car — Seat — “The six-month pilot test of this project, in collaboration with virtual supermarket Deliberry and courier company Glovo, will be carried out in two car parks managed by Saba in the city of Barcelona… The customer leaves their car keys with Saba staff, who are responsible for accompanying the delivery person, identifying the car and placing the order in it. In the future, the aim is to make the process easier using technology that enables the service providers to access cars using fingerprint recognition supported by the app itself.”
JD.com to deliver online orders direct to Chinese consumers’ cars
JD.com, electric car maker Nio partner on ecommerce delivery-to-vehicle service — Marbridge Daily — “JD.com’s self-operated logistics service JD Logistics and Nio are in the process of connecting their systems so that consumers will be able to select ‘delivery to vehicle’ when purchasing goods through JD.com. Using the vehicle’s location, an authorized delivery agent will deliver the package within a given time window to the recipient’s trunk, which will be accessed via keyless entry.”
Dutch supermarket chain uses NFC shelf edge labels to let customers self-checkout and pay
Albert Heijn testing ‘tap to go’ technology — Ahold Delhaize — “The technology, which is being piloted at the AH To Go store at Ahold Delhaize’s support office in Zaandam, provides customers with a fast, efficient shopping experience by using a card or, in the near future, a smartphone. After registering via an app, customers can select an item, tap an electronic shelf card, and go. Within 10 minutes, the money will be automatically transferred from their bank account.”
Burger bar to let customers order and pay by face in California
Cali Group demonstrates face based loyalty program pilot in its restaurant operating division — Cali Group — “The kiosks use NEC’s NeoFace facial recognition software to identify registered customers and pull up their loyalty accounts and order preferences… Also in 2018, the platform will be used to allow customers to pay using their faces.”
China’s JD.com to open hundreds of unmanned convenience stores
Chinese online retailer JD plans to open hundreds of unmanned shops, ahead of Amazon — The Telegraph — “Chinese online retailer JD.com has beaten Amazon to the next stage of the shopping revolution by announcing plans to open hundreds of ‘unmanned’ convenience stores. The shops have already been trialled with JD’s 10,000 employees at headquarters in Beijing and use facial and recognition technology to register payment and product identity, meaning that customers do not have to wait in a checkout line.”
Australian merchants to accept payments on their mobile phones — with no additional hardware required
CBA launches hardware-less payments app for SMBs — The Australian Financial Review — “Commonwealth Bank will bring a new mobile payments technology to market in Australia that enables small businesses to accept credit card payments of up to A$100 on their Samsung devices, without any other hardware…. A pilot program is expected to kick off in early 2018, with the smartphone payments platform to be rolled out commercially by mid next year.”
Target adds mobile payments, coupons and rewards to mobile app
Target launches Wallet in the Target app: A faster, easier way to pay and save — Target — “With Wallet, guests can pay using their Target REDcard and save with Cartwheel — all in a single scan of their phones at checkout… Wallet combines digital savings — Cartwheel offers and Weekly Ad coupons — with the 5% REDcard discount. And, coming soon, guests also will be able to store and redeem Target GiftCards with Wallet.”