A new automated retail offering brings the vending machine into the 21st century.
The ‘New Retail as a Service’ solution from Finnish company Stora Enso uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags to track and trace items that are offered for sale in an e-kiosk. The tags are paper-based, providing a plastic-free and recyclable solution for packaging authentication, the pulp and paper manufacturer said.
The Intelligent Cabinets developed by Stora Enso are designed for on-the-go purchasing using smartphones or standard card payment.
The customer unlocks the the cabinet using a smartphone payment app. They can then select the desired items, each of which has an RFID tag attached.
When the door is closed, the cabinet reads the items taken, triggering payment as well as orders to replenish the stock.
The customer receives a summary of their purchases on the top panel and a receipt in their payment app.
Stora Enso announced last week that it has entered into a global partnership with digital transformation company Atos to bring Intelligent Cabinets to the market.
The partnership includes the commercialisation of the New Retail as a Service solution, combining Stora Enso’s technologies and the service delivery experience and methodology of Atos.
“While retail is aiming at convenience and efficiency all at once, we drive innovations to combine the localisation of brick and mortar with digitalisation,” said Martin Ros, head of Stora Enso’s Intelligent Packaging unit. “With our partnership with Atos, we are entering the automated new retail market, where our sustainable RFID technology can bring the unmanned consumer experience to the next level.”
Download our Next-generation connectivity report to learn more about how next-generation internet connectivity will enable a whole raft of new business models.
Tags: retail, automated retail
