We put the first night-time self-service POS into operation
The COOP Group has opened the first automated night-time shop in Strakonice in the Czech Republic, where customers can shop at any time. The shop is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During normal opening hours the shop is a traditional shop with staff and cashiers. The special thing is that outside normal opening hours, the shop is completely autonomous and the customer pays himself at our self-service POS. For out-of-hours purchases, customers download a mobile application that connects with their bank identity and thus can enter the shop with a unique QR code.
The shop in Strakonice is the first in the Czech Republic to be equipped with such a self-service POS in cooperation with P.V.A. systems. The self-service POS with a user-friendly interface is directly connected to our POS module B.O.S.S. Enterprise. This means that all processes are carried out via our POS module. The self-service POS is connected to the branch unit like any other standard POS and the whole concept fits perfectly into a centrally managed ERP system.
Since the monthly cost of running an entire shop is less than the salary of a single employee, we expect this trend to spread to other grocery chains. Self-service POS allow continuous operation, especially in areas where shops are not visited as frequently as in large cities. In smaller towns and villages where it is not profitable to operate non-stop shops with human service, self-service POS are coming into use. The concept is rounded off in combination with security systems, including cameras for unattended shopping.
In November 2021, we presented a solution of our own self-service POS at the Samoska Congress which was put into practice in March 2022. COOP Group is preparing to open a second automated shop in Český Krumlov this year and more will follow. The concept of self-service night-time shops is new in the Czech Republic. However, since these have lower operating costs compared to shops with staff, and higher profits can be made from sales outside normal opening hours. It can therefore be objectively assumed that the concept will continue to expand further.
iDnes.cz - COOP otevřel první automatizovaný obchod. Noční nákupy se obejdou bez obsluhy
