An unmanned store is a new retail model and one area within smart city development. As the name suggests, unmanned stores do not provide service staff. Customers shop and check out through self-service without paying at a cashier, and the process is fully automated. It is also an extension of e-wallet applications: when entering an unmanned store, customers identify themselves through QR code or camera recognition to connect their e-wallet, and payment is deducted automatically after purchase.
Advantages of unmanned stores
The implementation of unmanned stores also means that e-wallet and mobile payment technologies have reached a more mature stage. Compared with cash change, electronic payment saves time and avoids excessive coins. This encourages consumers to complete purchases quickly and can help merchants increase sales. Fully automated equipment is another major feature of unmanned stores. Facial recognition systems and automatic sensing beverage cabinets, for example, can replace manual work and reduce long-term manpower operating costs.
Automated shopping process
Before entering an unmanned store, the facial recognition system outside the entrance identifies the customer and connects to their e-wallet.
After entering, customers can freely use interactive kiosks, smart vending machines, or a mobile app to choose the products they need.
The store’s smart sensing system can record customer characteristics such as gender and age range, and can even capture movement routes, areas visited, stopping points, and selected products. Through big data analysis, this information can reveal customer preferences and shopping habits, helping improve marketing strategy and shopping experience.
After selecting products, customers enter the product recognition area, where goods are recorded automatically through sensing technology.
After leaving the store, the purchase amount is automatically deducted from the customer’s e-wallet.
Unmanned stores combine multiple technologies and especially rely on Internet of Things system support. Store equipment, electronic shelf price tags, indoor temperature, and electrical appliances can all be monitored through IoT. This improves the customer experience and helps maintain a comfortable shopping environment.
From the moment customers enter the store, they can experience the convenience of facial recognition, including identity recognition and connection to membership accounts and e-wallets without extra time. For products such as fashion, accessories, and cosmetics, merchants can even use AR technology to let customers experience try-on effects through technology and improve the shopping experience.
Responses to unmanned stores vary around the world. Taiwan’s 7-Eleven X-Store attracted many people early on because of novelty and curiosity, but after the initial excitement, many users still preferred service from real store staff, so X-Store expansion was halted. In contrast, Amazon Go in the United States has continued to receive strong responses, leading many companies to consider similar unmanned stores.
In Hong Kong, electronic payment is not yet fully universal. Building costly unmanned stores may not offset saved manpower costs, so unmanned store development in Hong Kong still has a long way to go.
Translation supported by AI.