The Role of Autonomous Checkout in Modernizing Transit Retail
A lot of things have changed in the retail industry, especially since the rise of autonomous technology. Many retail companies are fast adopting it, significantly simplifying customers’ lives and enhancing the shopping experience.
As of 2018, only 350 stores globally had an autonomous checkout system, but the number is believed to exceed 10,000 by 2024.
If you’re also willing to join the bandwagon and want to know how autonomous checkout is modernizing transit retail? Then, let’s get started!
1. Less time in queues
Arguably, the most annoying thing for any consumer is indefinitely waiting in line for the next batch of items to be packed. Longer waiting lines don’t only waste time, but they also lead to lags in the transit processes.
This is why autonomous checkout solutions have proven to be so useful. Here, self-scanners and AI monitors can easily scan the items that customers have bought and reduce the delays caused by unnecessary waiting times.
Moreover, customers also get a better feeling about shopping from a particular website or store that contains autonomous checkout systems since their demands are met quickly without any hassle.
2. Better customer service
In addition to reduced waiting times, customers also require quality service and assistance. Supermarkets, for example, have assistants and salespeople helping customers with their queries at every stage of purchase.
While that has been the norm for so many decades, autonomous checkout systems have modernized retail by replacing them with chatbots or robots. These robots or AI-powered voices provide customized solutions to customer needs and even recommend other products to buy, leading to better store sales.
3. Faster mobile checkouts
Many retail stores have started autonomous mobile checkout systems, which allow customers to check out from anywhere within the store, not just at the cash or packing counters. This again reduces the waiting time and allows the shopper to explore different items in the stores while the bill is prepared. This is done through a special portable checkout device that scans the items in the customer’s cart and automatically processes the payment.
4. Better inventory management
Inventory management is nothing short of a nightmare for almost any retail space owner!
Earlier, inventory and supply chain management used to be done manually. But now, with the development of technology, computer vision, and RFID tags, machines can automatically predict how much stock of a particular product is left and when it needs to be reordered.
This enables a store owner to track what items are being taken off the shelves in real time. From a customer’s perspective, this can be useful because as soon as any item is low in stock, the inventory manager will ensure it’s restocked on time, preventing any customer from leaving the store empty-handed or annoyed.
5. Round-the-clock availability
Since humans govern traditional checkout services, the stores have to be closed after the defined working hours. Even 24×7 stores require extra human resources in the checkout aisles. However, autonomous stores have eliminated this limitation by enabling AI-powered checkout systems through chatbots. No human needs to be manning any of the checkout aisles. A combination of sensors, cameras, and a strong alarm system ensures that all items remain secure and accessible at all times without anyone taking any undue advantage.
6. Easier payment methods
Most customers today prefer automated and digital payment methods over conventional cash. Not only is cash more difficult to carry, but it also brings along the fear of theft or loss.
Automated checkout systems in retail stores accept all forms of digital payment, be it through a digital wallet or a QR scanner that redirects you to your bank’s digital app. It certainly requires a stable internet connection for a successful payment, which is why most autonomous checkout stores contain high-speed Wifi accessible to customers 24*7. This not only facilitates quick and hassle-free payments but also minimizes the risk of in-store theft and eliminates long checkout lines.
Even though the idea of a fully automated checkout system might seem like a distant dream, it has now become a reality! If you have a retail space, now is the time to jump onto the boat and leverage the first-mover advantage.