Robots fill customer or online orders in the automated store concept by Alert Innovation Inc. The store includes a shopping section for goods that customers prefer to pick out by hand and a back end automated order fulfillment section for other goods. The two sets of goods are merged to a delivery bundle and delivered together for pickup by the customer. The combination automated-service and self-service store combines the convenience of online shopping and self-service shopping using an unconventional approach that reduces costs for the retailer and simultaneously increases customer satisfaction.
Image source: United States Patent and Trademark Office
Want to learn more about this invention? See the following information from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, www.uspto.gov
Abstract
A combination automated-service and self-service store for implementation at brick-and-mortar retail locations is provided. The store and corresponding method of implementation is an automated-service model in which robots, deployed at the brick-and-mortar location, fill orders for fungible goods placed by customers either online or in-store. The store also includes a shopping section where customers can select/order items and/or personally select non-fungible goods. The store includes a shopping section for non-fungible goods that customers prefer to pick out by hand and a back end automated order fulfillment section for other goods (e.g., fungible goods, dry goods, etc.). The two sets of goods are merged to a delivery bundle and delivered together for pickup by the customer. The combination automated-service and self-service store combines the convenience of online shopping and self-service shopping using an unconventional approach that reduces costs for the retailer and simultaneously increases customer satisfaction.
AUTOMATED - SERVICE RETAIL SYSTEM AND METHOD
Inventor: John G. Lert, Jr.
Current Assignee: Alert Innovation Inc
Filed: Oct. 12 , 2021