"Unmanned stores will be the new future"

That is the case at Now Pet, at any rate. This is the name of the first cashierless pet store, which opened in Tel Aviv in August 2019. There is probably nowhere in the world that offers such a digital shopping experience for pet owners as here. The founder and CEO of Now Pet is Erez Gur, a veteran pet food retailer and former proprietor of the Israeli pet store chain Petbuy, among other things. The technology for the cashierless store was developed by Cyb-Org Technologies, of which Erez Gur is likewise co-founder and CEO.
The concept largely resembles the Amazon Go stores in the USA, but experts believe that Now Pet's system is even more successful and efficient. Out of stock, for instance, is no longer an issue for the Cyb-Org system; an automatic algorithm informs suppliers by means of sensors when the inventory stock of a product reaches a critical point. Inventory gaps are thereby avoided. Moreover, the algorithm system of Now Pet ensures complete transparency in the contact with suppliers. According to the company, the system identifies the products that suppliers have actually placed on the shelves. At the end of the process, suppliers receive confirmation of the quantities and the system sends payment to suppliers according to the terms. The ethics algorithm identifies and alerts the manager to any unscrupulous action on the part of suppliers.
The technology is even able to identify customers looking to enter the store with fraudulent intent. The information collected and video evidence are communicated to the system, so that access can be barred to the customer in future.

How does the shop operate? The customer registers at a terminal at the entrance to the store using a telephone number, credit card and a fingerprint. Using the fingerprint or facial recognition, the customer is identified and can enter the store. In store, the customer is greeted by an avatar, because there are no human salespeople on the sales floor. Located behind a glass panel are well-known pet food products that the shopper can purchase following self-identification via a further sensor. Items taken are identified using smart shelves with built-in weighing scales as well as machine vision. Once a customer has chosen a certain product, the e-shopping cart can be viewed immediately. During and after the purchase, the customer receives offers tailored to their shopping habits and preferences. The customer leaves the store by way of fingerprint or facial…