BERKELEY, Calif.—Coen Markets has launched checkout-free technology at two Amoco stores. The technology is available at Coen’s Oakdale and Southpark, Pennsylvania, locations. The company partnered with Grabango on the technology.

“At Coen, we’re always looking at how technology can improve our shoppers’ experiences,” said Colin Dornish, vice president of consumer experience and innovation, Coen Markets.

Grabango’s checkout-free technology allows shoppers to skip the checkout line. There are no special shelves, carts, baskets or turnstiles required to enter or shop. To get started, shoppers download the free Grabango app and shop as they normally would. The Grabango system keeps a running tally of items picked up so there's no need to scan each one on the way out. Payment is automatic and contactless.

Bp, the owner of Amoco, announced its partnership with Grabango in December 2021 and commitment to retrofit 10 c-store locations across bp’s network. The two Amoco stores are the first to go live with Grabango technology.

Grabango's deployment with Coen Markets is the most recent in a series of launches with other major retailers for the technology company. Nashville-based MAPCO recently opened its first Grabango-powered checkout-free store in Brentwood, Tennessee.

"Checkout-free is quickly accelerating into the mainstream. Grabango's recent slew of store launches, all turned up in rapid succession, is part of the industry's rapid expansion that we'll see in 2023," said Will Glaser, CEO of Grabango.

Grabango is based on computer vision. The company says its checkout-free solution eliminates shrink, increases store capacity and boosts shopper loyalty. In addition, the technology installs without interrupting store operations, doesn't require changes to store layout or product mix and doesn't require any special carts or gates.

In November, Chevron announced checkout-free shopping at Chevron’s ExtraMile store in San Ramon, California, by partnering with Grabango. Bp and GetGo Café+Market also have partnered with Grabango to integrate checkout-free technology into their stores.

At the 2022 NACS Show, industry pros from Pilot Travel Centers and Mach 1 outlined some best practices for incorporating self-checkout in convenience stores.

NACS offers a free webinar on self-checkout innovations at c-stores. Pre- and post-pay fuel transactions, loyalty, cash payments and age verification are also discussed.

Read more about frictionless checkout systems in the NACS Magazine article “Self-Checkout Strategies”