Westfalen AG has now become the first medium-sized company in Germany to launch a pilot operation of an unmanned shop with its "Alvore Smart Shop". In the form of a converted sea container, the shop is intended to enable a continuous range of convenience products.
Fast, cashless and anytime shopping on an area of 18 square meters – that's what lies behind the idea of the Smart Shop, which is now another innovation of the Alvore brand, under which Westphalia is already developing its filling stations into future-proof mobility hubs.
From beverages to confectionery and snacks to frozen products, salad boxes and much more, the Smart Shop will offer unlimited access to food in the future. It is important that the entire shopping process is as self-explanatory as possible, as Sandra Schütte, Head of Convenience, Gastronomy and Services at Westfalen, knows:
"It starts with access, which is done via legitimation with a credit or debit card or identity card. The latter is also used to verify the age of alcohol and tobacco products. Since we have opted for free availability of goods in the shop and therefore do not use vending machines, payment takes place at a self-scan checkout that accepts debit and credit cards as well as Apple and Google Pay."
In the medium term, the purchase process is to become even easier through the integration of the fillibri app, which has already established itself at petrol stations with its services and is continuously growing with further functions. "The pilot operation represents a very valuable opportunity for us to present our Scan and Go feature together with Westphalia.
Similar to direct payment at the petrol pump or charging station, this function would also eliminate the need to go to the checkout," explains Marc Weßling, CEO at fillibri. In the future, the Scan and Go feature, like all other solutions in the app, will be rolled out across all brands and also implemented in existing shops.
Key facts about the Alvore Smart Shop
9 x 3 m sea container in Alvore design
18 m² sales area
Open 24/7
Access via credit/debit card or ID card
Self-scan checkout for debit/credit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay
More than 270 items on sale
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