Commentary

NRF 'Big Show' Highlights 'Frictionless Checkout'

Sensors and cameras are about to transform the shopping experience in a big way.

At the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York this week, there were countless presentations in the expo area showing what the future of in-store experiences looks like.

The Intel booth alone aggregated a wide range of companies using products that include Intel technology, all of which are targeted to retail stores.

Frictionless checkout was a recurring theme at the show, and companies at the Intel booth presented different variants of it.

UST Global, CloudPick and Retail Business Services demonstrated automated checkout using computer vision, motion detection, product sensing and recognition and payment integration. The idea is that a shopper with a phone picks up products in the store and walks out, being automatically charged, much like the Amazon Go automated stores.

Hisense showed a modular point-of-sale kiosk that allows payment by facial recognition. A loyalty shopper would be identified by facial recognition as they enter the store, the products selected would be tracked and the shopper would simply look at a screen to be automatically checked out.

A system by Flooid showed a checkout system with a high-precision scale to weigh selected products at checkout and a camera to automatically identify the products being purchased. The system also can catch if a product goes by but is not scanned to be charged.

Retailers still have to purchase and install such systems, which is what companies like these and many others were pitching to retailers at the NRF event.

Cameras and sensors are coming to retail in a major push.

The only questions left are the timeframe and the cost. This technology is sophisticated, but not cheap.

3 comments about "NRF 'Big Show' Highlights 'Frictionless Checkout'".
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  1. R MARK REASBECK from www.USAonly.US , January 16, 2020 at 8:56 p.m.

    So "Frictionless" has taken the place of "Seamless".

    I'm so excited about this new way to scan groceries because I'm frankly tired of the Friction I have with the checkout cashier.

    So, this would be more technology for morons who just  don't care how many places have access to all you privacy and bank info.  You pick up an item, and the phone probes for the SKU# , then it deducts it from your bank account.   What a trail you leave behind, including an opportunity for the grocery outlet to barrage you with reminders, that Jif peanutbutter is on sale because you just bought one on August 13, 2019 at 6:37pm  and you must be almost out.

    Plus it contradicts all the other lazy shopping options of just sitting on your bed dropping Dorrito crumbs in your computer, ordering more groceries , to be delieverd by an autonomous "Gro-cart".

    In conclusion, we have the scanners , which puts cashiers out of work.  We have "shopping robots" which puts stockers out of work, and self driving Gro-carts which puts drivers out of work.  Pretty soon we put everyone out of work and there is no one left to order groceries.
    better get that college degree for the Olive Garden.

  2. Joseph Frazier from Flooid, February 12, 2020 at 5:43 p.m.

    Mark, Just out of curiosity did you attend NRF? Did you happen to sit through any of the product demonstrations that are referenced within Chuck's artcle? I know the draw to leave witty comments is often overwhealming so I don't blame you.

    I don't want others to read your comment and assume your opinion is fact or knowledge of the solutions, how they work, and their place in tomorrows retail landscape.

    If your up for it reach out to me on LinkedIn and I would be more than willing to have a chat and explain the technologies referenced in the article...

    Specifically: 
     -  Hisense Facial Recognition
     -  Intelligent Loss Prevention (Flooid)




  3. R MARK REASBECK from www.USAonly.US , February 15, 2020 at 10:16 p.m.

    Well, Joseph, I have disconnected from all Socail Media, so it's here or my e-mail
    my name at USA only dot US.
    I'm just a regular guy.  Not a tech geek.  My concern is all of this "advanced" technology has taken our anonymity, personalities, privacy, habits, preferences, quirks, along with all financial transactions have invited the world  to tap our resources.   Why does anybody want this, I have no idea, except we have a whole group of milennials coming up who can't go to the bathroom without a phone in their face.

    My previous comments you did not want read as fact?  What parts aren't true.  Technology puts people out of jobs.  PLUS, with the scanning, EVERYBODY is assuming they are being charged correct pricing.  can't SKU #'s be mislabled?  Can't the pricing be wrong?
    And when all of this is done through your phone, who ever reviews and reconciles their accounts?  Guarantee it ain't millennials, they can't even make change , much less balance an account. 

    Facial recognition?   see how that is working in China.    Again, why do we need this?  So it recognizes me to get into my banking................I want this WHY?????

    Not sure what your product offers that makes life better.   How about this, I gather groceries, the checker scans it, I hand them cash, I get change and leave.  I LEAVE NO TRAIL for scamming my account, bombarded by the retailer's annoying multiple e-mails  , and my identity is anonymous.   THAT'S TRUE FREEDOM.




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