A store without cashiers opens in China’s “future city”
JD.com’s self-service supermarket outside Beijing uses facial recognition technology to track shoppers
One of the first projects is now open: An unmanned supermarket from retail giant JD.com.
The 2,650-square-foot outlet uses cameras and RFID (radio frequency identification) tags to record what products a shopper has taken off the shelf.
When you walk in, you need to open a mini program on WeChat and take a selfie. That gives you a unique QR code to scan at the turnstile, where a camera checks if your face matches the code.
Once you’re inside, dozens of facial recognition cameras track your movement from above -- as you pick up items like chips, biscuits, and pre-packaged fruit.
After you’ve finished grabbing everything you want, check out by walking through the “billing tunnel”. A sensor automatically reads the RFID chip on each item and tallies up the bill. A camera confirms who you are and charges your payment account. The whole process is said to take around 20 seconds.
For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters, subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast, and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report. Also roam China Tech City, an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus.