The new frictionless shopping experience to be enabled at thousands of retail outlets
SAN FRANCISCO, March 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Swyft Inc. today announced the launch of a patented contactless shopping technology that allows consumers to instantly get the products they need or want without dealing with anyone or touching anything. Consumers use their mobile phone to complete their purchase while standing in front of robotic stores equipped with Swyft technology. Users are still able to conveniently pay using their physical credit card or NFC-enabled phone and are not required to download a mobile app, create a mobile wallet or an online account.
The Silicon Valley-based technology company advised that the new technology has been made immediately available in stores in major US airports like San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Atlanta Hartsfield (ATL) and Houston (IAH). The technology is initially being deployed at top US airports and will also soon be available at more than 1,000 of Swyft’s US robotic stores.
Since 2014 Swyft has filed several patents to protect its methods of mobile shopping from vending machines and robotic stores. Swyft had subsequently acquired Utique, Inc. to create a formidable portfolio of intellectual property in the space.
Lincoln Smith, Swyft’s President & VP Product who invented many of Swyft’s early patents, said “our stores are already convenient, and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated consumer acceptance of our vision; many of us are wary of touching things or interacting with people. Our contactless shopping experience is so frictionless and convenient that you’ll never want to wait in line again.”
Even without a costly integration with brand partner apps, Swyft offers contactless shopping through their own hosted websites. Beyond contactless shopping, the new technology, coupled with Swyft’s existing platform, makes way for various new retail experiences such as automated click & collect or courier delivery from highly scalable pickup points.
Every automated store (robotic vending machine) on Swyft’s platform is a connected micro-warehouse that allows brands or retailers to build ground-breaking functionality into their websites and apps such as the reservation of products for consumers or couriers to contactlessly collect (buy online, pickup in store). For example, consumers can select and pay for a COVID test on one of Swyft’s brand partner websites (possibly free with insurance verification) and receive a pickup code. When the pickup code is presented, the Swyft platform validates the code and the test kit is instantly dispensed.
Swyft has orders to grow its network of over a thousand automated stores to several thousand in the next twelve months. “Our focus is to deliver safe and convenient experiences. As a technology platform we’re very happy to have our brand partners get the credit for the experience that we deliver for them,” said Smith.