{"id":27469,"date":"2020-09-30T15:33:10","date_gmt":"2020-09-30T13:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intellias.com\/?p=27469"},"modified":"2025-09-22T13:17:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T10:17:22","slug":"autonomous-checkouts-the-future-of-retail","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/intellias.com\/autonomous-checkouts-the-future-of-retail\/","title":{"rendered":"Autonomous Checkouts: The Future of Retail"},"content":{"rendered":"

Retail has come a long way \u2014 from the first brick-and-mortar stores to global retail chains that leverage smart technologies to add value to their operations<\/a>. In fact, AI is projected to account for $27.24 billion in the retail market by 2025.<\/p>\n

Despite all these advances, the checkout experience is still the Achilles\u2019 heel of retail stores. Half the customers are ready to abandon their shopping carts due to long checkout queues.<\/p>\n

To cope with this challenge, big-box retailers are investing in automated checkout systems, an innovative retail solution<\/a> that would take the in-store experience to the next level. It was Amazon that pioneered the technology in its Amazon Go store. Now, more and more companies are testing the water, and the number of stores with autonomous checkouts is set to rise to 10,000 by 2024.<\/p>\n

Global Store with Autonomous Checkouts<\/h3>\n

\"Autonomous<\/p>\n

Source: Business Insider Intelligence estimates<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of autonomous checkouts, let\u2019s take a step back and have a look at how we got here.<\/p>\n

From self-checkouts to autonomous checkouts<\/h2>\n

The final touchpoint in your customer\u2019s journey, the checkout process can make or break the sale. To streamline the whole shopping experience, retailers introduced self-checkouts that allowed customers to process their own purchases. Kmart<\/a> was the first big-box American retailer to open stores with self-checkout back in 2001.<\/p>\n

Self-checkout systems put customers in full control over their buying process from the store shelf to the home pantry. For a seamless shopping experience, numerous self-checkout payment options are available, including credit cards and mobile payments. And since self-checkouts are replacing cashiers, the technology can significantly improve staff efficiency and free up employees for other value-added activities.<\/p>\n

With self-checkout trends on the rise, let\u2019s have a look at some of the ways that the technology is implemented.<\/p>\n

Scan-and-go<\/h3>\n

Retailers are experimenting with the scan-and-go technology that lets customers use a portable scanner or mobile phone to scan items as they put them in a shopping cart. When shoppers are ready to check out, they can pay at a POS terminal or using their mobile, via online payment systems like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others.<\/p>\n

Click-and-collect<\/h3>\n

Also known as \u201cbuy online, pick up in store\u201d, click-and-collect combines the convenience of eCommerce<\/a>\u00a0and retail software solutions<\/a> with the speed of in-store pickup. In addition to the immediacy that traditional delivery can hardly match, click-and-collect also reduces transportation costs. In fact, click-and-collect is set to grow by 45% by 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mobile checkouts<\/h3>\n

Another alternative is mobile checkout stations, which allow employees to check customers out anywhere in the store. Equipped with a special portable device for item scanning and payment processing, sales associates can help customers on the spot, which is of particular importance during busy weekends and holiday seasons.<\/p>\n

While there\u2019s no doubt that all these techniques significantly improve the shopping process, it\u2019s the autonomous checkouts that revolutionize the in-store checkout experience for customers.<\/p>\n

Benefits of autonomous checkouts<\/h2>\n

Setting a new standard for convenience, an automated checkout system allows customers to walk in, grab what they want and then leave the store without having to physically check out. The technology that was considered the province of science fiction just a decade ago has become reality.<\/p>\n

From the customer\u2019s perspective, the benefits of cashierless stores are numerous:<\/p>\n