UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, today announced the launch of the UST Walk-In, Walk-Out frictionless shopping solution. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the in-store retail experience and consumer buying patterns permanently.This new contactless solution redefines customers’ relationships with retail by eliminating long checkout lines and waiting times. As a result, customers get a seamless shopping experience that allows them to walk into a store, grab their items and immediately walk out.
The technology behind UST Walk-In, Walk-Out is a unified integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), sensors, and cameras working together to enable the core features. Customers enter the store by scanning a QR code in the mobile app, selecting desired items from the shelves, and thereafter exiting the store, receiving their digital receipt in a matter of seconds. The solution implemented by UST can be installed and functional in a little as eight weeks.
“It’s all about accessibility, convenience, and most importantly – safety,” said Mahesh Athalye, Sr. Director and Go to Market Leader of UST Walk-In, Walk-Out, “With the solution, profits can be maximized, and customer experience improved – all as a result of the 24/7 access, and no checkout lines. UST Walk-In, Walk-Out empowers companies to drive and reap the rewards of new technology and its impact on their bottom lines.”
Piloted with Retail Business Services, the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA, and another for a leading European grocery retailer, UST is implementing this end-to-end frictionless shopping solution for customers that include grocery retailers, convenience stores, cafeterias, and grab-and-go food stores at airports and universities – in markets across the U.S., Asia, and Europe. With the solution, retailers can integrate with other innovative retail technology solutions that UST offers such as UST Healthy Store, UST Chatbot, and UST RapidCEL, among others.
“In this new normal, customers are concerned about their personal risk and those of their communities. The big challenge has been implementing this in a safe, fair, and equitable way,” said Krishna Prasad, Chief Customer Officer and Head of Retail, UST, “For businesses looking to drive profits, delight customers and gain a competitive edge, making an investment in frictionless shopping is the critical next step. It aligns with the new realities for global retailers to instill consumer confidence.”
