Smart convenience store `7-Eleven Signature`

In December, last year, Amazon unveiled its unopened grocery store `Amazon Go` in Seattle, which became a hot topic in the retail industry. This store, which is automatically proceeds with customers’ payment when customers scan their Amazon account at the store entrance and pick out their items from the store, was rated as showing a new direction for the distribution channel. Future-style stores that combine new technologies are also being introduced in Korea.

7-Eleven presented `7-Eleven Signature`, a smart convenience store that automatically clears merchandise from the shopping venue, at the Lotte World Tower in Seoul on May 16. 7-Eleven operating company Korea Seven has implemented a futuristic convenience store by applying new technologies such as vein verification payment, 360-degree auto scanning and smart vending machine.

Jung Seung-in, CEO of Korea Seven said, "Distribution industry is doing new experiment in the fourth industrial revolution led by AI, robot technology and life science.” at the press conference held at Lotte World Tower on May 16. He also said, “We will present a new way of convenience store industry in the era of the fourth industrial revolution."

7-Eleven Signature, located on the 31st floor of Lotte World Tower, can be called a total of IT technology. It is when the merchandise is placed on the cash register, the bar code is automatically taken and the palm is placed on the handset payment terminal and the vein is recognized and the goods value can automatically be settled. It utilizes `Hand Pay`, a vein verification payment service of Lotte Card, and is able to distinguish people by utilizing the fact that the vein thickness, sharpness, and shape are different for each person. Currently, only Lotte Card can be registered and used. In July ~ August, it will add other affiliate cards such as Shinhan and Kookmin cards, cashier transportation cards, and ELP, which is a simple payment method comparing to payment methods.

On this day, the transparent door automatically opened when a customer stopped in front of a refrigerated showcase with beverage products. The sensor is mounted on the showcase door is able to automatically detect human movement and open and close the door.

Kim Yeong-hyuk, a spokesperson for the Korea Seven Planning Department, mentioned, "If there is no customer in the unattended stores at night, the showcase will be cut off and the energy can be saved by 30%."

Cigarettes can be bought with smart safe cigarette vending machines. The vending machine displays dozens of cigarette images sold with a 46-inch screen at once. Customers can touch the desired cigarette, enter the cell phone number, and then put the palm of their hand on the vein. Cigarettes can be purchased only if customers are certified as adults by vein recognition, which can block the purchase of tobacco from teenagers.

A 360-degree auto scan function is activated after picking up all the items and a bar code is printed on the conveyor belt of the unmanned cash register developed by Lotte Information & Communication. The payment amount is displayed on the POS screen and the vein verification procedure is performed at the end of the scan.

Director Kim said, "We have implemented AI technology in a convenience store. After learning product shape in the future, weight, etc., the machine will automatically recognize item characteristics.” Electronic price list is introduced to provide mobile information such as in-store events and discount coupons in the store. Intelligent CCTV also prevents unauthorized access by non-store employees during business hours, detects smoke in the event of a fire, sounds an alarm, and is able to calculate the number of people in the store and the length of stay. In the future, 7-Eleven plans to run a smart convenience store at Lotte World Tower stores and expand its stores around Lotte affiliate companies.

Prior to this, With me of E-mart introduced a self-checkout machine for scanning bar codes with SSG Pay as a simple payment method at the first STARFIELD COEX Mall in March, and a smart showcase that is able to automatically open and close the merchandise showcase. GS Retail recently announced its plan to introduce the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to GS25 in cooperation with KT.

By Park Min Yeong ironlung@


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