[THE INVESTOR] Korea Seven, operator of convenience store chain 7-Eleven in Korea, on Aug. 28 unveiled a robot that allows customers to pay with their hands as local retailers accelerate their move to take the lead in next-generation retail models using the latest technologies.
The robot, dubbed Veny, was introduced at the store at Korean retail giant Lotte’s 123-story skyscraper in eastern Seoul.
It is where the company, an affiliate of Lotte, first launched a system that uses veins to verify the identity of visitors and let them pay without cash or credit cards -- called “hand-pay” by Lotte -- in May.
“Veny will become the symbol of 7-Eleven’s digital revolution,” Korea Seven CEO Jung Seung-in said during a press conference in Seoul. “We will continue our efforts to boost the competitiveness of our franchisees and give a new shopping experience to our customers.”
The robots will also be placed at another signature outlet in central Seoul, according the company.
The introduction of Veny is part of a broader move by Korean retailers to adopt technologies for their online and offline platforms.
By Song Seung-hyun and newswires (ssh@heraldcorp.com)