In the New Normal, online shopping or e-commerce is becoming tremendously popular. This has made Physical stores like shops, supermarkets, or Department Stores adjust themselves to use technology to create a new experience, facilitate customers with faster and easier shopping channels, and be competitive in the digital world.

Here is a good sample of using technology to elevate the shopping experience of customers in a supermarket in Chiba, a province near Tokyo. This supermarket has launched Smart Shopping Cart equipping monitor and barcode connected to the prepaid cards so customers can check the price before adding a product to the cart. The products added to the cart will appear on the monitor so buyers know the total price in their cart all the time if the price exceeds their budget. Besides, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is used to analyze purchasing behavior of each customer so the system can introduce other potential products to that customer on the monitor. The supermarket also installs closed-circuit cameras throughout the store to check shelf-stock and fill the shelves immediately when needed, and to monitor if customers find products easily. After finish shopping, customers can leave the supermarket without queuing for payment at the cashier. It’s a touchless experience as cash or credit card payment is not needed. The purchase amount will be deducted from the prepaid card right away. That practice is in line with the COVID situation when people avoid touching money or contacting others, especially in Japan where the elderly are at high risk for death from COVID.

Another sample is Dash Cart, Amazon’s smart shopping cart equipped with a touch screen monitor sensor, camera, and algorithm. Those functions can tell which products are added to the cart including price. Customers can see the price per item including the total price. To start using Dash Cart, once the cart is available, the system will send a QR code to the Amazon app, and then customers just sign in and start using the cart. The system will link Amazon account and credit card to Dash Cart and also link to Alexa to see shopping list. More, customers can scan discount coupons if available. After finish shopping, the system will deduct the purchase amount through a credit card linked to the Amazon account promptly and the receipt will be sent to customers via email. That process is called “Just Walk Out”, which means purchasing products and leaving without touching anything or contacting anyone. This Dash Cart has been launched at Amazon’s Woodland Hills Supermarket in California.

In the new Normal era, we have seen that both online and offline technologies play a vital role in our daily life. For hygienic reasons, people attempt to avoid touching money and contacting others. In the financial world, you can make transactions safely without traveling to a bank branch. SCB EASY App empowers customers to make all types of transactions anytime anywhere; domestic and international money transfer, credit card and utility bills, house and car loan payment, loan requisition, and credit card point redemption.

SCB cares for your safety and we will make your life easier. You can apply for a credit card, open a new account, invest and buy insurance in just one app via SCB EASY app.

References

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanabandoim/2020/07/17/amazons-new-smart-shopping-cart-is-pushing-cashierless-checkout-in-physical-stores/?sh=2e4a22d75e11

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/bizstream/20201212/2074088/?cid=wohk-fb-org_site_bs_tt-202012-001&fbclid=IwAR0D5PeYJWf3NLMzt0vsSrpXoaMVj5HrJhRWjspyU8CaSUz8QxJrxsbUsU0