Autonomous stores have potential, but face challenges too

KPMG's latest Consumer Barometer focuses on the topic of “Technologies in retail - the autonomous store”. In a short study, the EHI Retail Institute surveyed around 1,000 consumers in Germany in December 2024 on their attitudes towards autonomous stores. The results highlight both the opportunities and challenges of this innovative form of retail.

In the context of this study, autonomous stores (AS) are brick-and-mortar stores that are operated without sales staff, whereby customers can interact directly with the products (unlike in vending machine stores).

According to a recent DHBW Heilbronn white paper on smart stores, there are now around 600 smart stores in Germany. In recent years, some large retailers and several providers have tested various concepts for autonomous stores. However, these formats have not yet reached many customers. Only 15% of respondents stated that they had used an autonomous store to date. As only a small number of respondents have actually used an autonomous store, the survey focused more on hypothetical assessments of this format than on practical experience.

Those who do their shopping in brick-and-mortar stores every day are the most likely (75%) to imagine using an autonomous store. When it comes to whether an AS could be preferred to a traditional format with sales staff, there are surprisingly two groups that are most likely to agree: those (61%) who shop in brick-and-mortar stores most often (daily) and those (60%) who shop in brick-and-mortar stores least often (once or twice a month). The first group could potentially benefit greatly from an efficient and flexible shopping experience. The second group could include many online shoppers who are used to digital shopping processes as well as the convenience and time savings offered by online orders. This fits in with another statistic from the study, according to which up to 80% of online-oriented shoppers can most readily imagine using autonomous stores, while the willingness of very offline-oriented shoppers drops sharply.

Interestingly, the same question about the basic willingness to use AS does not produce such a clear picture when broken down according to living situation. The approval curve fluctuates somewhat more according to the urban-rural distribution: while only 56% of those living in very rural areas can imagine using AS, the figure rises to 69% in slightly rural areas before falling again. Among respondents who classify themselves as living in a very urban area, the approval rating for AL is 75%. This means that the differences between the rural and urban populations are not particularly great. (Especially compared to the two other criteria surveyed – online or offline shopping affinity and positively or negatively perceived shopping experience – where significantly greater differences were recorded at the end of the scale in each case). This indicates that there are many people in both groups who see autonomous store concepts as a useful addition to local shopping. In addition, people living in rural areas are likely to be familiar with the advantages of staff-free self-service stores such as some farm stores.

Respondents see the greatest advantages of autonomous store concepts in flexibility (71%), time savings (69%) and efficiency (68%). At the same time, however, 68% are of the opinion that autonomous stores have an impersonal and supervising effect. More than half of those surveyed also fear errors in billing or entering the shopping basket. The check-in process is considered potentially complex by 40%. Reliable technology is therefore important to gain trust for these autonomous store concepts. If the group of potential users is to be expanded, it should be intuitive and easy to use.

Across all sectors, respondents see the greatest potential for autonomous stores in food retail, followed by book and media retail, fashion, cosmetics, electronics and gardening/home improvement. They see the least benefits for sports stores.

Personal and competent advice is perceived as one of the greatest strengths of brick-and-mortar retail. But how can this advantage be realized in autonomous stores without sales staff? One possible solution is AI avatars or digital assistants. However, the survey results on this topic show that the use of AI avatars for advice is met with clear reservations.

Between 65% and 70% of respondents rate AI avatars as susceptible to technical faults, impersonal and difficult for inexperienced users. In contrast, only 57% see an advantage in advice without waiting times. In addition, less than 60% expect objective, customer-oriented advice. Only just under 40% of respondents believe that AI avatars can improve the shopping experience or service competence. Concerns therefore still predominate here.

One reason for this may be that AI avatars are still completely new territory for many customers. On the other hand, people who use in-store advice on products may attach great importance to high-quality interaction. AI avatars, which are intended to replace expert advice from sales staff in the store, are certainly not comparable with the more widespread online chatbots that merely answer standardized FAQs. If retailers use AI avatars to provide advice, they should pay attention to the quality of the interaction and clearly communicate which options the AI assistant offers and which it does not.

The study makes it clear that many consumers perceive autonomous stores as a time-saving and convenient shopping alternative. The ability to shop around the clock is seen as a particular advantage. Autonomous stores can be a solution for local supply in rural areas in particular if there is a shortage of staff. There is a general acceptance among the population, from young to old, from urban to rural, to use these formats.

However, there are also challenges: Data protection remains an important issue for many. In addition, some miss the personal touch and a pleasant shopping atmosphere in autonomous stores.

In order for automated store concepts to be widely accepted, retailers should not only appeal to young, tech-savvy early adopters from large cities, but also involve consumers with different shopping habits or preferences. Intuitive operation and an accessible shopping experience for all are crucial for the long-term success of autonomous stores. Smart stores that create a pleasant atmosphere and offer opportunities for social interaction despite operating without staff could also score points beyond this.

Sources: KPMG Consumer Barometer 01/2025 about autonomous stores, Press release EHI