Zabka, the Leader of Convenience Stores in Europe in Cooperation with AiFi Will Combine Advanced Sensor Fusion Technologies and Artificial Intelligence to Provide Customers with an Entirely New Shopping Experience
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2019 / National Retail Federation - AiFi, a technology company developing the most advanced store automation systems in the world, and Zabka, a chain of convenience stores operating more than 5400 sales points throughout Poland, have announced at the NRF conference--the biggest retail trade fair taking place in New York--that together they will implement stores using unique artificial intelligence and sensor fusion technology that combines information from sensors registering different types of data such as weight and image.
The goal of this cooperation is to create convenience stores which enable checkout-free shopping. In the coming months, Zabka and AiFi will develop a prototype store that will be open to customers. With the knowledge and experience gained through this process, the technology will be implemented on a wider scale. Moreover, Zabka is planning to expand the format of the modular store, which to date has only been located seasonally (for example, at seaside resorts). AiFi will deliver its NanoStore technology to these new stores, enabling checkout-free, fully-automated stores open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
By implementing AiFi technology, Zabka is launching the next stage of its large-scale digital transformation. The planned technological solutions are designed to support franchisees in the development of the stores they run. Additionally, the employee working time saved through technology will help improve customer service quality, especially in the Zabka Café mini catering service, which offers freshly ground coffee or hot snacks like hot dogs. With the new technology, stores will be better equipped to inform customers about new services and functionalities.
In the last year, Zabka has introduced a number of solutions to optimize the way the chain works, as well as to improve customer service. The chain focuses on small format stores, between 60 and 70 square meters, so a major issue at this stage is to introduce technologies that allow more customers to be served with shorter transaction times, and to offer an ever-growing number of services in limited space and employee availability. AiFi technology meets this need perfectly.
AiFi creates automated solutions for retailers wanting to implement advanced innovations, from very small stores to large-area stores with more than 50,000 square feet/4645 square meters. Zabka will receive newly-designed AiFi solutions that will enhance existing stores with new purchasing and checkout-free paths for customers, while also retaining traditional salesperson service. These stores will utilize AiFi artificial intelligence, combining information from sensors and cameras to enable no-checkout shopping. This AI technology uses algorithms to analyze data in real time, identifying customers' different actions and products.
The technology also enables a wide range of applications to further facilitate the work of franchisees and salespeople. With real-time analytics, franchisees and salespeople will immediately be notified of the need to stock shelves, understand sales levels, identify those products which sell best, and receive recommendations for subsequent orders.
"We are excited to be the first to offer an entirely new quality in stores on the European market," commented Tomasz Blicharski, VP for Finance and Development. "The solutions we create are designed to adapt us to customer expectations by offering them the most advanced, convenient and fastest shopping experience on the market. AiFi technology will enable us to offer customers faster service and optimize the management of traditional stores by franchisees, facilitating their daily operations. Additionally, we are working on developing a format of fully-automated stores, to be deployed in locations with very strong traffic. We can't wait to let our customers and franchisees share the experience of a new dimension in daily shopping," added Blicharski.
"Deciding to implement state-of-the-art technologies of the future, Zabka is becoming a leader among companies offering global innovations, which is why we are very excited to have a partner like this," added Ying Zheng, CTO and co-founder, AiFi. "Zabka's clients will benefit from automated stores where they will have easy access to what they need."
The self-service Zabka store concept is a container, delivered almost ready to connect, which can operate without personnel, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The same technology will be implemented in both new and modernized stores. The AiFi project is fully compliant with stringent European legal standards to ensure full security and respects customers' privacy.
Zabka is a leader in the convenience market in Europe, using state-of-the-art global solutions designed in Silicon Valley to simplify the daily lives of millions of customers. Cooperation with AiFi is another step in the innovations recently announced by the company.
To learn more about AiFi, their technology and NanoStores, visit aifi.io or nanostore.ai.
To learn more about Zabka, visit www.zabka.pl.
Images here: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1GobDO4o1LVTpXYaHIYFozz6BzMR-eZ1s
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Zabka is the largest franchise convenience chain in Central and Eastern Europe, operating more than 5400 stores. Established twenty years ago, Zabka has developed and undergone major changes. Just 7 experimental Zabka stores were established in Poland in 1998. By 2000, the number of stores increased to 400, and a decade after its establishment - nearly 2000. For the past twenty years a store with the Zabka logo had been launched in Poland every other day, on average. The company achieved the position of leader in convenience sales. Its stores are visited daily by 2 million customers. 12 million customers live no further than 300 m away from the nearest Zabka. The company grows responsibly. Its CSR pillars include: care for the natural environment, responsible food sales, personal development and education, support for local communities, as well as care for health and active lifestyles. Since 2017, the chain has been owned by one of the largest private equity and investment consultancy companies in the world - CVC Capital Partners.
AiFi is a technology company developing the most advanced store automation systems in the world. Combining artificial intelligence, edge computing and sensor fusion technology, AiFi delivers automated checkout solutions to sellers all over the world. AiFi's NanoStore provides small-area stores with a modular, ready-to-use, connectable automated store of the future which can be open 24/7. NanoStore shops enable faster, more convenient shopping closer to homes, offices, schools and transit areas. To learn more, visit aifi.io.
Media Contact:
AiFi Press Office
Erica Zeidenberg
press@aifi.io
925-631-0553 office
925-518-8159 mobile
Zabka Polska (Poland) Press Office
e-mail:
biuro.prasowe@zabka.pl
tel. +48 514 877 509
SOURCE: AiFi
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