While some consumers may list shopping on their list of favorite activities, dealing with retail friction is nobody’s idea of a good time. But can tech-based solutions make everything from hailing a ride to buying a set of wheels easier, shaving hours from the buying experience entirely?
That’s the goal of several new unattended retail solutions that recently made their grand debut.
In the December edition of the Unattended Retail Tracker™, PYMNTS highlights the latest developments in unattended technology and how those developments are disrupting nearly every industry, from public transportation to the typically stressful car buying process.
Around the Unattended Retail world
The next time someone yells “Taxi! Follow that car!” they may just be talking to the car itself — but that doesn’t mean they won’t get where they want to go.
Autonomous car developer Waymo has announced plans for a self-driving ride-hail service. It will be months of testing before the offering debuts, however, and it will initially be limited to offering service in Phoenix, Arizona.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Chinese bike-share giant Ofo recently unveiled a park-anywhere bike-share service. Ofo faces an uphill battle from a fleet of competitors as it expands, and that list includes China-headquartered Mobike and U.S.-based Spin, LimeBike and Jump.
An unattended solution for car sales nirvana?
If there is any retail employee to whom most consumers would be happy to reduce their exposure, it’s the classic, pesky, haggling-happy used car salesman.
It may seem like a pipe dream to take the salesman out of the used car sales process, but Carvana disagrees. In a recent interview with PYMNTS, Ryan Keeton, co-founder and chief brand officer for unattended car seller Carvana, explained the company’s lower overhead granted by its largely self-serve auto purchasing and financing model offers a more efficient business model for companies — and a more enjoyable experience for customers.
“We do not have the traditional brick and mortar overhead that a dealership does — which is about $2,000 per sale that gets passed to the customer,” Keeton said. “[As such], you are able to save about $1,430 versus [the] Kelley Blue Book [value], on average.”
To read the feature story, get the latest news and trends and peruse a directory of more than 100 providers, check out the PYMNTS Unattended Retail Tracker™.
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TO DOWNLOAD THE DECEMBER EDITION OF THE PYMNTS UNATTENDED RETAIL TRACKER™, CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW.
About the Tracker
The PYMNTS.com Unattended Retail Tracker™ serves as a bimonthly framework for the space, providing coverage of the most recent news and trends, as well as a directory highlighting the key players contributing to the segments that comprise the expansive unattended retail ecosystem.
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
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