Seoul – Retail conglomerate Hyundai is exploring the future of shopping with the opening of a hyper-connected and data-driven store, designed to test and inspire the future shopping behaviours of young consumers.
Uncommon Store is a contactless retail experience that operates using QR codes instead of cards or cash. The space, which doesn’t feature any staff, invites shoppers to scan a QR code on entry to receive a customised experience informed by stored consumer data. Designed by architectural group Atelier [email protected] and powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), the store employs a cloud-based system to track buying habits and monitor stock levels and payments.
‘The system targets customers from the MZ [Millennials and Gen Z] generation, a Korean buzzword for those who are most familiar with the idea of the unmanned payment system at a very early age,’ explains Uncommon Store in a press release. ‘These young consumers will drive the dominant commerce system in the next few years. They can adapt to the new payment system as the new norm in commerce and exchange.’
This innovative retail approach showcases an evolution from the frictionless experiences we previously identified in the supermarket sector.