Zippin scores a first as it brings checkout-free shopping to those passing through Dublin Airport
A new Dublin Town To Go store, powered by Zippin technology, has opened in T1 Arrivals at Dublin Airport.
People scan their payment card to enter and a combination of cameras and weight sensored shelving then detects what they’re buying and charges their card when they walk out.
The store, the first of its kind to open to the general public in Ireland, sells a range of goods to meet the needs of both departing and arriving passengers and also those waiting to welcome people in Arrivals, including coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads, sweets, cereal, milk and toiletries.
Vincent Harrison, Chief Commercial and Development Officer at Dublin Airport, says: "The opening of a checkout-free store in the airport is something completely new and different for passengers and we think they are going to love it.”
“Dublin Airport is excited to be the home of the first concept store of this kind to be opened in Ireland.”
“Whether passengers want to pick up a pre-flight sandwich and coffee, or essentials such as milk and cereal after arriving back into Dublin Airport, the technology deployed in Dublin Town To Go means they can do it quickly and in a hassle-free manner. We can't wait for passengers to try out the new store for themselves."
In an X post, Zippin said: “Excited to bring checkout-free shopping to air travellers in Dublin. With no lines, passengers can grab whatever they want without risking missing their flight. Zip in and zip out with no hassles.”
Checkout-free stores: retail’s next normal or overhyped and of limited value to high streets?
Checkout-free is retail's next to next normal, says Krishna Motukuri, CEO and Co-founder at Zippin.
“This is unfolding rapidly across stadiums and airports in the US and spreading to the rest of the world. Self-checkout and scan and go have too much friction to survive in the long run,” he observes.
There is undoubtedly a lot going on in this space, with various high profile openings involving hot startups like AiFi, Trigo, Standard AI, and Grabango.
At the same time, however, autonomous stores have been on the retail scene for a few years now and yet live in the high street we’re not really seeing the penetration that, if they’re being brutally honest, investors and retailers trialling the technology would admit they want.
By way of example, in January, Amazon Fresh UK closed its Dalston, London location, less than 18 months after opening it in a blaze of glory.
It is also understood to have walked away from talks on dozens of sites, and stopped its search for more locations.
According to media reports, Amazon has slammed on the brakes due to sales falling short of expectations and fit out costs being multiple times higher than with a standard location.
We at RTIH have certainly been hearing that Amazon is not alone here. Across the board the price point is too high and therefore limiting adoption.
Until both consumer demand drives it and the ROI shows a real win, then this will continue to be a cool technology but of limited value in the high street.
The key win is to eliminate queuing at the checkout and that’s where the consumer will see significant advantages.
But in 2023, amidst major economic turmoil, the focus is on cost consciousness, and, in our humble opinion, without the ability to drive down costs this space is two or three years away from truly going mainstream.
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