Imagr, a New Zealand startup for smart shopping carts, is working with Japan’s H2O Retailing, which owns Hankyu Hanshin Department Store and Hankyu Oasis.
The startup has had a deal in place since late 2019 to supply a limited number of stores in a trial of the scheme which could potentially expand to more of H2O Retailing’s 152 affiliated stores around the country.
Imagr’s smart cart “Halo” is an automatic register that uses computer vision and AI to recognise the products using a camera attached to the car’s edge. The system operates with a charging station, a desktop-sized server, and an “imaging station” where the clerk can scan and register new products.
Customers can use the smart cart by installing an application, linking their preferred payment method, and syncing their mobile device with the cart. Shoppers can pay using the app at the end of their visit.
Japan is the second-largest retail market in the world, at close to US$600 billion in supermarket revenue, home to 127 million people, 55,000 convenience stores, and over 8000 supermarkets. However, it also has an ageing population and labour shortages, making it problematic for retailers to hire new staff.
“With SmartCart, doing your shopping is easier and faster. There’s no need to wait in line, there’s no need to pull out a credit card, there’s no need to engage in small talk. Customers just put the goods in their trolley then walk right out of the store. It’s as easy as that,” said Imagr founder and chief executive William Chomley.
