Transactions on the move: shops now offer cashless checkout with no need to visit the cash desk
In a bid to combat desertification and offer a more efficient shopping experience, autonomous stores are making waves in rural areas across France. These stores, which allow customers to serve themselves and pay without the need for human interaction, are being hailed as a success by their 50,000 clients.
The technology behind these stores is developed by Amazon and Vivecti, and it records and analyzes hand gestures, not images, for data collection. This ensures that personal data remains secure, according to Xavier Lauthelin, director of products and Everywhere at Flunch.
Shopping in these autonomous stores is a unique experience. Customers use shopping carts equipped with automated checkout technology, which adds up prices as they shop. The system counts or subtracts products based on the customer's movements, eliminating the need to wait in line at the cash register. The average time to buy lunch in these stores is just three minutes.
However, not everyone is comfortable with this new shopping experience. One customer expressed feeling somewhat uncomfortable due to the feeling of being watched. Another customer, on the other hand, found the concept original and liked it. The opinions expressed by customers are personal and may not represent the sentiments of all customers.
In some cases, there are no employees at all in stores using this technology. However, the number of employees remains the same in supermarkets using this technology. The collected data is strictly confidential and not used for loyalty cards or customer follow-up.
The autonomous store model is also being used in villages, such as one in Charente, where local commerce is thriving. The store in question operates completely autonomously, offering a convenient shopping experience for its customers.
Despite the occasional unease, the autonomous store model is expected to save customers a lot of time and contribute to the fight against desertification by making shopping more accessible in rural areas.
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