The world is still in the grips of Covid-19, but with more widespread vaccination, a pandemic-free future is coming into view. Grocery shopping was a major topic for most of 2020, and much of the buzz was over the role of new technologies in creating a safer, better grocery shopping experience. In a post-Covid grocery world, what role will technology play?
Self-checkouts, e-commerce, and contact-free payments helped grocery stores create safer shopping experiences and working environments. These safer shopping methods, both online and in-person, will likely be part of the grocery landscape for years. But, innovations and uses of current technologies will help grocery stores continue to serve customer needs.
According to a recent article, experts are predicting a convergence of restaurants and grocery stores. The restaurant industry is in peril, and there are concerns that consumers may not so quickly return to embracing indoor dining. This continues to present an opportunity to grocers of all sizes to provide more options to their shoppers, such as specialty foods and meal prep kits.
“Buy Online, Pick Up In Store” or BOPIS gained a lot of steam in 2020, but more and more, the “S” stands for somewhere or in something. Amazon pioneered delivery lockers a few years back; now, more regional grocers are planning curbside lockers. Some are even planning community lockers, where groceries could be delivered to a neighborhood or even at home lockers.
The near future promises additional tech that will provide greater shopping convenience and safety, such as vision technology for a checkout-free experience and better inventory tracking. Robot technology is available today that delivers precise inventory management. This tech can also power accurate and convenient self-checkout in the future. Shoppers simply fill a cart, leave the store, and pay for everything that the vision system views and scans automatically.
These technologies and new ways of operation all have one thing in common: they require a solid retail system foundation. STCR’s retail solutions not only provide access to the latest tech, they are custom planned for your unique needs, so they deliver the most value for customers and give you room to grow and adopt innovations.
Learn more about the retail innovations offered by STCR, and take your store to the next level of efficiency and profitability in 2021 and beyond.
