Santa Clara, Calif. and Shanghai, China – Jan. 2, 2020 – AiFi, the technology company creating the world's most advanced Autonomous Store Platform, today announces that it is providing the technology for two new stores: the only autonomous gas station convenience store in the world, a Loop Neighborhood Store sitting in a Shell Gas Station in Silicon Valley; and a retrofitted, larger convenience store on a busy residential street in Shanghai. The two newly-opened stores bring AiFi’s presence to three continents, joining eight other AiFi-powered stores in the U.S. and Europe.
The two stores represent the value of bringing the Autonomous Store Platform to small and medium-sized retailers. “With Loop using the NanoStore format and the bigger, retrofitted convenience store in Shanghai, we are demonstrating the viability of bringing autonomous store technology to retailers of various sizes,” said Steve Gu, Co-founder and CEO, AiFi. “We’re very excited to be introducing our solution to various store formats so more customers can enjoy the autonomous shopping experience of tomorrow...today.”
Loop Gas Station Store in Silicon Valley
The Loop store in Campbell, Calif. is in the heart of Silicon Valley and is based on AiFi’s modular NanoStore template, stocking 150 SKUs. Open 24/7 starting in January 2020, the Loop store will provide customers walk-in/walk-out convenience with instant receipts on exit. The Loop Neighborhood Store is part of a 30+ store chain of Loop Northern California convenience-type stores typically associated with a gas station. With appealing decor, they feature a range of fresh foods and healthy options which distinguish Loop from other more snack-heavy gas station shops. AiFi and Loop plan to open more gas station NanoStores in the coming months, as well as deploying the AiFi Autonomous Store Platform to Loop’s existing neighborhood convenience stores.
“The new autonomous Loop Neighborhood store is a wonderful step forward for our store brand. We strive to deliver a satisfying, enjoyable and convenient experience to our customers every time they enter one of our stores, and the AiFi Autonomous Store Platform meets the needs and demands of our customers,” said Varish Goyal, President of Loop Neighborhood. “The fast, frictionless process is delightful and helps customers get what they need to move on with their day. We’re thrilled to be introducing this new approach and working with AiFi to make it happen.”
Autonomous Convenience Store in Shanghai
The first AiFi-powered autonomous store in Asia--the Shanghai store--is owned by a local retail chain in the city. It is equipped with AiFi’s Autonomous Store Platform, the all-in-one technology platform which includes multi-camera, multi-person tracking, real-time product recognition and live inventory tracking;, culminating in an easy, fun checkout-free experience at lightning speed.
The retrofitted store is 400 square feet--larger than AiFi’s NanoStore--and features more than 800 SKUs. For all products (aside from age-restricted items) customers simply use their WeChat app, the most popular mobile payment app in China, to enter the store, grab whatever they want and walk out. The receipts are automatically generated.
For the retail shop owner, the autonomous solution allows for extended operating hours without the owner having to invest more hours of work, something much needed for mom-and-pop type stores. It is also very cost-effective with the technology investment paid off within six months.
About AiFi
AiFi is an AI technology company automating the world’s stores for retailers and brands of all sizes, from small footprint pop-up stores to supermarkets. With its Autonomous Store Platform, AiFi is creating delightful customer shopping experiences with some of the most influential retail partners in the world including Carrefour, Albert Heijn, Żabka, Valora, and Loop. AiFi-powered stores are becoming destinations in cities like Amsterdam, Paris, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Shanghai. For more information about AiFi and its technology, visit www.aifi.io.
