Greece’s first robotic grocer
Greece is getting its first fully robotic store, as on Thursday afternoon the i-mall Micro Market will be inaugurated at Nea Smyrni, southern Athens: This is a minimarket without staff, where products are bought through various vending machines. All transactions are done electronically and one can make purchases from home through an app and then pick them up from an automatic locker.
The i-mall Micro Market is a 100% Greek idea, designed and implemented by a group of 30 Greeks. In collaboration with Italian and American partners, the implementation of the most innovative solution in the field of small retail is now set to be completed.
The goal is to have 80 stores operating in Greece within the next three years, but also to expand abroad, first in Europe and then elsewhere. The store will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, only via contactless transactions.
Consumers will be able to make purchases by visiting the store or placing an order through an application and receive them at Skroutz points. Payment for the products is done with credit/debit cards, with electronic wallets, such as Google Pay and Apple Pay, but also with i-mall coins. Also, one will be able to pay using an e-wallet installed in a wearable (e.g. a smartwatch).
