University of San Diego offers frictionless shopping at campus store
An on-campus convenience store at the University of San Diego is letting customers purchase items and walk out after an initial scan.
As exclusively reported by Chain Store Age for first coverage, the University of San Diego retrofitted the Smart Market mini-convenience store located within the Knauss Center for Business Education with AiFi camera vision-based technology, allowing shoppers to select which food and drink items they’d like to purchase and walk out without waiting in line or scanning to pay. Items available for purchase at Smart Market include hot and refrigerated prepared meals, coffee and kombucha on tap, as well as packaged snacks and beverages.
Customers scan a dedicated store app upon entry to identify themselves. Leveraging computer vision, AiFi adapts to the existing Smart Market store format without the need for shelf sensors, and provides tracking algorithms that scale to and support the app.
Other retailers leveraging AiFi’s computer vision-based platform to support frictionless shopping programs include California-based gas/convenience retailer Loop Neighborhood. Colorado-based grocery retailer Choice Market is also utilizing AiFi NanoStore technology to offer frictionless shopping.
The AiFi solution has also been used in a pop-up store at the 2021 Indianapolis 500 auto race, and in a two-month pilot at an Albert Heijn (Ahold Delhaize banner) store at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
"The University of San Diego is constantly looking for new innovative ways to improve efficiencies and provide more services to campus, and frictionless dining is perfect for our community”, said Andre Mallie, assistant VP, auxiliary services & resource management, at the University of San Diego. “We were impressed with the flexibility of AiFi’s solution and the ability to seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure in the store. Now, folks coming through the Knauss Center for Business Education won’t be burdened by long lines or wait times, and we’re excited for the future of this technology at our campus."
“As AiFi continues to expand into more unique spaces, we’re excited to provide the University of San Diego community with more convenient shopping options and an enhanced experience,” said Steve Carlin, CEO at AiFi. “Fast moving and low contact checkout are exactly what college students, professors, and staff members need. As universities embrace more tech-forward solutions to drive their own digital transformation, we’re pleased to partner with them in the direction of innovation.”