Retailing The Automated Way

Checking in on self-checkout, the move toward seamless shopping done in the physical realm but with eCommerce features is an inexorable one. The headlines may seem to gravitate toward Amazon Go and the cashless store debate, but automated retail efforts are seen across any number of vendors and settings – from vending machines to big box stores to delivery services. The shift toward cashierless operations, as detailed in the latest Automated Retail Tracker, saves firms money, of course, and self-service options are underpinned by mobile devices and even artificial intelligence.

Data:

13: Number of Amazon Go stores in operation

4.5 million: Estimated number of vending machines in the United States

25 percent: Share of vending machines in the U.S. that can accept cashless payments

125: Number of self-service Costco stations installed in the first quarter of 2019

41.7 percent: Share of small brick-and-mortar retailers in India that do not accept digital payments