Retailer Pick & Go has opened three unmanned and checkout-free stores in Singapore, offering daily necessities such as snacks, drinks, and other essential options. Founded in 2019, Pick & Go is the first unmanned convenience store in the South East Asian island nation.
Pick & Go’s three outlets are located within the National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and Lakepoint Condominium, all operating 24/7. Their Artificial Intelligence (AI) system utilizes computer vision, including smart cameras, to determine shopper gestures and location within the store. With sensors from the smart shelves, the AI system keeps track of what products are taken or returned to the smart shelves. Pick & Go’s unmanned stores will be able to track multiple customers even if they stand side by side and pick items from the same shelf.
According to Alex Ng, founder of Pick & Go, the convenience of the 24/7 checkout-free process is a leap forward focusing on customer’s shopping experience – the future of retail. Besides, COVID-19 has fast-tracked the inevitable change in consumer behavior. Whereas it used to be all about convenience and experience, now, in a post-COVID world, contactless has become an additional key element.
(Sources: Pick & Go; Inside Retail; Retail & Leisure International)
