Robomart Allows Consumers To Order A Market On Wheels

Quite literally a store on wheels, consumers who download the Robomart app and set up an account are able to hail a Robomart to their location to enjoy a next-generation frictionless shopping experience. The company’s app displays the six different types of Robomarts available: Snacks, Grocery, Pharmacy, Cafe, Ice Cream and Fast Food, and shows consumers a menu of the available products. The Snacks, Grocery and Café Robomarts all feature refrigeration and multi-temperature compartments to keep perishable items fresh and drinks cold. The Ice Cream and Fast Food Robomarts are currently in development and scheduled to launch later this year. 

Similar to ride-sharing services, once a Robomart vehicle-store is selected and “hailed,” the store-on-wheels arrives at the customer’s location in between two and  ten minutes. When it arrives, shoppers simply open the vehicle doors with their app and then select their products. Robomart’s RFID-based, checkout-free system enables consumers to take the products they want and just walk off without physically checking out and paying. The automated store tallies the products taken and, within a few minutes, provides a receipt and charges the payment card on file. Robomart’s solution eliminates out-of-stock and product selection issues because the app shows users a complete list of all available products before the Robomart is hailed. 

The futuristic platform is only available in the Los Angeles area for now, but there are plans to expand the serviceable footprint nationwide. The growth plan is supported by a key partnership with Miami-based REEF technology, the leading operator of mobility and logistic hubs best known for its sizable ghost kitchen footprint. REEF manages product stocking, tagging, scanning, integrity, and replenishment of the Robomart stores. In addition, Robomart is introducing a new Retailer Platform initiative. A turnkey solution enabling retailers to partner with Robomart and send their own branded markets to consumer homes, eliminating the time otherwise needed for order fulfillment. Robomart says it’s branded service can increase deliveries by up to 500%, while retailers will be able to access a robust reporting dashboard for sales data and analytics. Currently, Robomart’s vehicles have human drivers, but plans call for the company to add self-driving vehicles as it fine-tunes the autonomous technology and as local regulations permit.

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This article originally appeared in the PSFK iQ report, Enhancing CX with Frictionless Retail Automation.