Grocery self-checkout meets Artificial Intelligence (AI). That would be a pending rollout by mega-grocer Kroger of an AI system that monitors customers scanning items at self-service checkout lanes. It’s not a secret that sometimes shoppers “accidentally” miss scanning items or scan lower priced items in place of higher priced ones.
Then there are instances where shoppers become frustrated when unable to find a bar code on items, such as produce, and need assistance from store staff. The new system should go a long way to reduce store “shrinkage” which reportedly rises with self-service checkout. Shoppers will benefit, too, if the AI tech can solve scanning issues and save checkout time by ensuring the customer does not have to call for help.
The following excerpt from a Supermarket News article reports more on the topic:
The Kroger Co. plans to roll out Everseen’s Visual AI technology chainwide to detect and reduce customer errors at self-checkout stations. Ireland-based Everseen said its artificial intelligence and machine learning platform began deployment in Kroger stores in March and is slated to be installed at 2,500 stores in the coming months.
The Visual AI platform watches video in real time to recognize regular processes and “intelligently” step in whenever something is amiss, Evergreen explained. For Kroger shoppers, the technology flags errors occasionally experienced at self-checkout and enables customers to self-correct or, if they’re unable to rectify the problem, an associate is summoned to help.
“We are laser-focused on continuous improvements to customers’ experience across our stores,” said Mike Lamb, vice president of asset protection at Cincinnati-based Kroger. “By leveraging Everseen’s Visual AI and machine learning technology, we’re not only able to remove friction for the customer, but we can also remove controllable costs from the business and redirect those resources to improving the customer experience even more.”
Overview by Raymond Pucci, Director, Merchant Services at Mercator Advisory Group