There are around 46,000 convenience stores in the UK. Swiss start-up Scandit offering barcode scanning technology and London based Jisp have partnered with the Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN) to deliver solutions that will enrich shoppers’ experience at the stores.
Scandit enables businesses and consumers to interact with everyday objects by blending the physical and digital worlds using computer vision. Scandit technology is a unique machine learning platform combining leading-edge barcode scanning, text recognition (OCR), object recognition and augmented reality (AR) for use on any camera-equipped smart device, from smartphones to drones, wearables and robots.
Organisations in the retail, transport and logistics and the manufacturing sector use Scandit to power mobile apps, such as for mobile shopping, self-checkout, inventory management, proof of delivery and asset tracking. Use cases in healthcare include tracking patients, medication, specimens and supplies. Scandit solutions take cost and time out of operations and improve employee and customer satisfaction.
Convenience stores can also significantly benefit from the solution. In the UK, there are over 46’000 convenience stores which played a crucial role in helping communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, smaller retailers struggle to market themselves to today’s always-on shoppers. They often lack the skills, technology or resources to digitise and compete with larger supermarket chains.
Together with Jisp, a Hampshire based tech start-up offering best-in-class mobile marketing, shopping and payment solutions, the start-ups have entered a partnership with 1919-founded NFRN (Federation of Independent Retailers), one of Europe’s largest employers’ associations with over 15,000 independent retail businesses in membership throughout the UK and Ireland.
The partnership enables the companies to support convenience stores by delivering the contactless service and digital relationships today’s customers expect. The Jisp app enables ‘Scan & Go’ shopping instead of queuing at tills, provides Home Delivery and Click & Collect functionality, and opens up new opportunities for digital engagement.
The app is powered by Scandit’s computer vision technology which turns everyday smartphones into powerful barcode scanners. With support from the NFRN, the intention is to roll out to 500 independent retailers by the end of the year, so convenience stores can now deliver competitive and frictionless Scan & Go shopping.
(Press release/RAN)
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