In times of high inflation, there are never too many stimuli to attract consumers to supermarkets. For this reason, in line with current times, Carrefour has just launched a new format that tries to mix the face-to-face shopping experience with the speed of virtual payment.
This is Carrefour “Flash”, which is part of a new generation of shops that uses artificial intelligence. The target: avoid long queues in front of the checkouts and speed up your purchases. In Argentina, the first such place it has 50 square meters and is located in the municipality of Pilar, in the province of Buenos Aires.
According to the new mode of purchase, the customer you have to use an app, and add the products you choose in the physical store to the monkey. These are automatically loaded into a virtual cart and payment is made automatically upon exit. You can also use the application to buy online and collect in store or order home delivery.
This smart first branch in the country has an assortment of 500 products basis of an average daily purchase. For the consumer it is not necessary to scan the product codes. Because 20 HD cameras are installed inside the premises, around 200 sensors integrated into the shelves, an algorithm created to interpret all the data and its own payment system. The shop no need for boxes nor attention to the public inside the branch, although he has physical or virtual assistance in case someone calls for help.
Regarding the new shopping experience, Pablo Lorenzo, CEO of Carrefour Argentina, notes that “speed and simplicity” are the essential characteristics that consumers ask for when they have to go to the shops. “For that reason, we try to be up to the task,” she said.
To create this form of purchase, the established chain a strategic alliance with local technology company Go2Future, an Argentinian startup working with immersive technologies to generate solutions. The company “offers AI-powered solutions to eliminate friction in modern retail,” explained Eduardo Luis Koglot, CEO of Go2Future.
Information about the experiences of this type of purchase in other markets where Carrefour operates, from the chain they said the first store of this model opened in Paris, France, and “had a great reception”. And they added: “As a Group, the goal is lead the digital retail market both globally and locally, For this reason, a transformation strategy has been implemented focused on offering omnichannel solutions” that meet the needs of the people who choose the brand.
To date, the formats developed by Carrefour are Express, Market, Maxi and Hiper, in addition to Ecommerce. “The goal is to continue expanding popular formats, such as Maxi and Express, and increase digital sales,” they said in the chain.
How does the “smart” experience work?
To use Carrefour Flash, you must first download the “Mini Go” application, available for iOS and Android, create an account and load a credit or debit card to use as a means of payment at the time of purchase.
Upon entering the shop, you need to scan the QR code located on the access door. Once inside, customers take the products they want, and these – automatically – by the sensors present in the gondolas and by visual recognition – are loaded into the app’s virtual trolley.
Then, when you approach the exit door, the system automatically generates the payment method registered in the app. The payment process works like an online payment and, as the chain clarified, “complies with the security standards and conditions, as well as the personal data protection laws required by Carrefour for both its physical and online stores”.
Source: Clarin
