Interview • 19.12.2022

Smart Store: Two customer needs with one store opening

First "Rewe ready" without checkouts, but with a special location

Man in suit with dark hair crosses arms and looks sideways at camera...
Source: REWE/Lekkerland

With its "REWE ready" store in Bispingen, Lekkerland aims to cater to increasing out-of-home consumption, relying on innovative technology and a relevant product range. In the process, the REWE subsidiary is making common cause with the energy supplier EnBW and opening the pilot store at a fast-charging park for e-cars. 

Michael Mayer-Sonnenburg, Director Franchise & Convenience Stores, Lekkerland SE and responsible for automated stores operated by Lekkerland, told us more about the new concept. 

Why are smart store concepts like yours needed these days?

The behavior and desires of many consumers have evolved, partly as a result of the Corona pandemic. They want to be able to buy snacks, drinks and other products on the go 24/7, easily, quickly and contactlessly.

In addition, the strong growth of e-mobility is changing out-of-home consumption and requires new solutions.

Against this background, REWE, Lekkerland and EnBW are testing the pilot store at the EnBW fast-charging park in Bispingen.

Why did you decide to have such a store at this location?

REWE, Lekkerland and EnBW selected the location together. The selection criteria included the expected frequencies, the location and the site conditions which offered the opportunity in Bispingen to add a pilot store to the charging park.

This autonomous store differs from others that Lekkerland operates, right?

Exactly, we decided on this variant because, in addition to unmanned, 24/7 operation, it enables a relatively large assortment. This can include up to 600 items, including frozen and fresh products as well as tobacco products and alcohol. In the case of the latter items, an ID scanner ensures compliance with youth protection regulations. We currently offer more than 240 products in Bispingen. With this wide range of products, we cater not only to the needs of Ladepark (charging lot) users, but also to those of commuters and local residents.

Man ordering groceries at a screen.
Source: Lekkerland

Nevertheless, the selection of articles is (logically) limited in the store. How did you go about planning the assortment?

Our category management experts have extensive experience in putting together the optimal assortment for stores of many sizes. Comprehensive data and studies on e-mobility and the wishes of charging station customers also played an important role.

We will continue to develop the range on the basis of the findings from the pilot phase.

Let's get down to practice: I want to buy something in the store - How does that work?

Yes, the pilot store is completely unmanned. After entering the store, consumers select the desired products on an intuitive touchscreen. If they want to buy tobacco products and/or alcoholic beverages, customers have to prove their age by scanning their ID card. They then pay for their purchase without cash. In the closed area of the store, machines then assemble the purchased products. Conveyor belts transport the items to the shoppers, who can remove them and leave the pilot store. 

And what technology is behind the picking process?

We use robotics technology. The desired products are automatically placed on checkout belts from smart vending machines and transported to the customers.

How do new items get into the store and how do you know that they need to be replenished?

A cloud-based system automatically informs us about stock replenishments and individual sales. 

The pilot store is currently supplied twice a week by Lekkerland Logistics, which specializes in small-scale convenience retail. Lekkerland employees place the items in the smart picking systems inside the pilot store.

What happens if a purchase doesn't work out, clearly a case of ‘customer service’?

In general, the technology works very reliably - as the first few weeks since the pilot store went live have shown.

But if something doesn't work out, customers have two ways of contacting Lekkerland: via a contact form on the order touchscreen and by e-mail; we indicate the relevant e-mail address in the store. We attach great importance to a very accommodating approach towards our customers.

Do you think the existing charging station is crucial, or can a store like this also work at other locations?

Frequency plays an important role - and that's why it's an advantage to locate the store in such an attractive place as this premium EnBW location.

In our estimation, however, such a solution also works at other, suitable locations. REWE and Lekkerland want to find out which autonomous store works where and how the individual solutions are accepted by consumers by developing and testing various concepts.

Is this type of shopping our future? 

In our opinion, fully and partially automated store solutions will play an important role in out-of-home consumption in the future, because they serve the desire of many consumers to be able to obtain snacks, beverages, and other products on the go, 24/7, easily, quickly, and preferably without contact

Interview: Katja Laska

related articles:

popular articles:

Thumbnail-Photo: Online-Shopping with Apple Pay and girocard
01.11.2022   #online trading #payment systems

Online-Shopping with Apple Pay and girocard

In the last two years, people's shopping behavior has shifted significantly in the direction of e-commerce, making online business the driver of retail growth

Customers want to pay for their increasingly frequent online purchases in apps or on the web just as quickly and easily as at the stationary checkout - using their familiar and most popular payment methods from the "real" world - the ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Supporting replacements for EOL Datamax® printer...
12.01.2023   #Tech in Retail #services

Supporting replacements for EOL Datamax® printer

Future-proof your label printing with Citizen Systems

The name Datamax® will soon disappear from the label printer market, because Honeywell® has formally announced the end-of-life (EOL) of their Datamax® printer line and will not be accepting any orders after December 2021. To assist ...

Thumbnail-Photo: The connected supermarket: shopping experience of the future?...
04.10.2022   #brick and mortar retail #retail

The connected supermarket: shopping experience of the future?

Bizerba presented a wide range of solutions for the retail trade at EuroCIS

A consistent shopping experience across all channels – no problem! Thanks to state-of-the-art devices and artificial intelligence, retailers can further strengthen customer loyalty. At EuroCIS 2022, Bizerba presented new solutions and ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Pixizoo: Digital price tags are a success among baby and childrens...
15.12.2022   #digitization #Tech in Retail

Pixizoo: Digital price tags are a success among baby and children's equipment

New initiatives and technologies to help Danish online giant Pixizoo achieve ambitious growth target

The online success Pixizoo has come to stay. A new capital injection and new initiatives will help to realize the company's ambitious growth target of 20 percent per year, among other things with the help from digital price tags from Delfi ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Hobro Vinhandel digitizes the store with electronic price tags...
09.12.2022   #digitization #Tech in Retail

Hobro Vinhandel digitizes the store with electronic price tags

Danish wine merchant invests in electronic price tags from Delfi Technologies and a new checkout system

The local wine shop in Hobro (Denmark) has existed for more than 10 years. A growth journey is underway, including a full digitizationof the store. Going from writing price tags in hand to a fully digital solution with a complete overview of and ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Nike launches a new digital community and experience...
12.12.2022   #e-commerce #digitization

Nike launches a new digital community and experience

.SWOOSH – a platform that champions athletes and serves the future of sport by creating a home for Nike virtual creations

Nike has launched .SWOOSH, a new digital community and experience which is a home for Nike virtual creations and uses blockchain-powered technology – or what many call “web3” – to offer an inclusive, equitable place for ...

Thumbnail-Photo: EuroShop 2023 – Are autonomous stores the future of retail?...
05.12.2022   #brick and mortar retail #digitization

EuroShop 2023 – Are autonomous stores the future of retail?

Checkout-free stores: Ringing in the changes

The digitalisation of the retail industry, which has been advancing at a rapid pace in recent years, has also led to equipping physical stores with more and more technological intelligence. ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Digital buffet signs create an overview of Meyers canteens...
28.10.2022   #Tech in Retail #personnel management

Digital buffet signs create an overview of Meyer's canteens

Danish food company Meyers sets course for better employee management and more appealing food presentation

The Danish food company, Meyers, today operates canteens and delivers lunch solutions to big parts of Denmark and wanted to optimize the time for their chefs and staff out in the many kitchens. At the same time, the dishes had to be presented more ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Smart shopping app Karma launches Pay with Karma...
02.11.2022   #online trading #e-commerce

Smart shopping app Karma launches 'Pay with Karma'

Industry-first AI-based embedded checkout saves consumers time and money shopping with different stores

Karma has announced the launch of its innovative payment feature, Pay with Karma. The new embedded checkout gives shoppers a simplified, one-swipe purchase point across different retailers with multiple payment options. When paying with Karma, ...

Thumbnail-Photo: Esso Deli de Luca improves the customer experience with digital signs...
22.12.2022   #digitization #Tech in Retail

Esso Deli de Luca improves the customer experience with digital signs

Norwegian delicatessen chain offers first-class ambience – with digital price tags

Good food and drink experiences are the most important thing for Esso Deli de Luca, which has chosen to install the Breece System with electronic shelf labels from Delfi Technologies to save time that instead can be used to deliver more quality ...

Supplier

Citizen Systems Europe GmbH
Citizen Systems Europe GmbH
Otto-Hirsch-Brücken 17
70329 Stuttgart
Chili publish NV
Chili publish NV
Neue Schönhauserstraße 3-5
10178 Berlin
Zebra Technologies Europe Limited
Zebra Technologies Europe Limited
Mollsfeld 1
40670 Meerbusch
salsify
salsify
7 rue de Madrid
75008 Paris
Delfi Technologies GmbH
Delfi Technologies GmbH
Landgraben 75
24232 Schönkirchen
iXtenso - retail trends
iXtenso - retail trends
Heilsbachstraße 22-24
53123 Bonn
Captana GmbH
Captana GmbH
Bundesstraße 16
77955 Ettenheim
SES-imagotag SA
SES-imagotag SA
55 place Nelson Mandela
90000 Nanterre
S-Payment GmbH
S-Payment GmbH
Am Wallgraben 115
70565 Stuttgart
EuroShop
EuroShop
Stockumer Kirchstraße 61
40474 Düsseldorf