https://galusaustralis.com/2020/10/1019654/monoprix-launches-its-...

https://galusaustralis.com/2020/10/1019654/monoprix-launches-its-autonomous-store-with-blackbox/

On Thursday October 8th 2020, the casino group unveiled to the public its concept of an autonomous and automated business called BlackBox. The store is actually an 18 square meter container. The first black box was opened in Clichy (92) at the foot of the headquarters of Monoprix (brand of the casino group).

The concept came about after 18 months of work in which Monoprix worked with several technology partners. Israeli Shekel Brainweigh was approached for its advanced sensor system, known for its ability to accurately measure the weight of items on the shelves (and thus identify those that are distant). The payment system is the work of Ingenico and Oreka, a Reunion-based company that publishes open source debt collection software.

If the purpose of streamlining the BlackBox customer journey is similar to that of Amazon Go, the technological boundaries are somewhat different. Amazon, a pioneer in the standalone and automated business industry, developed (and is now selling the technology) Just Walk Out, a technology based entirely on a camera system. Together with artificial intelligence, this enables a consumer to be assigned to the products that he takes off the shelves or puts back on the shelves. Amazon is also a partner of Monoprix, which offers services through Prime Now. Just 48 years after Prime Now launched, the brand was already overwhelmed by the number of orders.

Unlike Amazon Go, BlackBox containers don’t have cameras to meet GDPR requirements. The detection system is based exclusively on sensors. They are also endowed with artificial intelligence and identify the products based on their weight. “This enables us to have a good reputation with the CNIL. We carried out tests because the solution is also based on artificial intelligence and learns how to use it. We now have an error rate of less than 1%, ”explains Lorraine Gentin, deputy director for innovation and digital transformation of the casino group.

The payment system is also separate. Now that Amazon has decided to centralize everything in one Amazon Go application, the technology will link the shopping cart of the purchased items to the user by scanning the application at the in and out of the store.

In any case, with the support of its parent company, BlackBox has the means to achieve its ambitions. Monoprix would like to set up these new independent stores in “flow areas” such as train stations or airports, campuses or even hospital parking lots. The sign does not give the roadmap, but gives hints.

“We have a development plan that has to change depending on the health situation,” explains Olivier Régo. “The technology is expected to be used in traditional businesses, especially franchisees. We hope to see even greater use of this technology by the other brands in the group (Franprix, Casino, etc.) or even by offering this technology to other distributors. But it will be in the medium term “