IMMENSTADT, Germany -- As Covid-19 continues to impact consumer buying behaviors, some retailers are digitizing their businesses, according to Düsseldor’s Livello GmbH. Livello said it has deployed the first fully automated and cashierless "Smart Store" in Immenstadt, Germany, where it’s been operating for more than a month as part of a pilot project in cooperation with OHA Food.
Open 24/7, the store is said to be easily relocated. It measures 3m x 6.1m and offers hundreds of local products such as eggs, cheese, sausage, meat, fish and milk, as well as high-quality ready meals, soups, stews, sandwiches, salads and convenience products, along with alcoholic and soft drinks.
A special highlight is the store’s "checkout-free" retail experience enabled by Livello’s patented technology. This automatically detects which products are replenished by operators, or withdrawn by customers while shopping, and books these items after the users are finished with their sessions. Customers can access the smart kiosks using an app, mobile payment, debit or credit cards without having to register.
Livello said the store is especially popular on Sundays, during holidays and after hours as it is the only available supply option that is always open.
The automated market’s design uses a combination of smart sensors, real-time inventory data and demand forecasting. "Our self-service micro markets are an innovative approach that allows consumers to shop daily necessities anywhere, anytime, contactless and cashless. It is a modular turnkey solution that can be physically embedded in any building, wherever consumers work, live and play." Explained Livello founder and chief executive Alexander Eissing.
