As popular during the COVID-19 lockdown, grocery delivery services like Instacart rely on a basic assumption to work: customers know exactly what they want when they order. Once that hurdle is removed, the transaction becomes simple – the driver accepts the job, drives to the store to pick up the order, and delivers it to the customer. It requires the use of a fair amount of technology to coordinate everything, but overall it works, and customers are usually willing to pay for convenience.
But what if you can cut out the step where the driver goes to pick up your order? What if instead of paying someone to pick up and pack your order and deliver it to you, you ordered the entire store instead? This is the idea behind Robomart, which seeks to deploy a fleet of mobile stores in case the convenience stores are not convenient enough. And the way the company is choosing to launch its service, not to mention the business model, could hold important lessons for other distribution automation platforms.
mobile munchies
As in the current prototype, Robomart will sell its wares from a fleet of minivans. The user experience is similar to that of Instacart or even a ready-made meal service such as Uber Eats, at least for using the app to make an order. But instead of making a specific selection, Robomart just sends a van that's already loaded with a wide variety of items. Selection will vary; Some vans will stock standard convenience store munchies, while others will carry personal care and hygiene items such as those found at the corner drugstore. Once the van arrives, the customer will unlock it using the Robomart app, which opens the side door of the van to reveal an eye-catching and eye-catching array of accessories. Customer selections are logged by RFID sensors, the account is billed, and the van moves on to its next stop.
During beta tests in West Hollywood in mid-2021, the company reports that the service proved popular, with the average user making 2.3 orders per week. But a really surprising statistic is the turnaround time – Robomart claims that each truck from order manufacturing to closeout averages only nine minutes per order. The ability to serve about six customers per hour per truck is pretty amazing, and blows away the order times of traditional delivery services, which often lengthen the idle time for the driver while cooking or taking orders.
almost automatic
However, astute readers will note that Robomart's vehicles lack the typical equipment of self-driving vehicles—no LiDAR domes, no cameras other than those needed for inventory control. This is because the vehicles are not yet autonomous. While CEO and founder Ali Ahmed's original vision for Robomart was a fleet of self-driving vehicles, and in fact the first prototype van was autonomous, the regulatory structure to support fully autonomous delivery to the company's target markets is just in place. Wasn't. So the company wisely chose to test the "store to your door" concept first, rather than wait for it to catch on. That's arguably the true innovation here, and seeing if the market will reward the idea is perhaps more important than the g-whiz factor of the van being self-driving. They do their best to hide this fact, though – the van's windows are heavily painted, and the driver remains in the cockpit and doesn't interact with customers during stops. Sounds like a great gig for introverts.
From an "automated freight" standpoint, we've got mixed feelings about the idea. It cannot be denied that there is a market for this kind of service – none have ever been broken to satisfy people's laziness. Add in the fact that you're literally sending a van full of junk-food to someone's house where there's no one to judge you for carrying an armload of Twinkies at the register, and it's likely that sales will be brisk.
Future versions of Robomart are believed to overtake existing on-demand convenience store and drug store models — apparently an ice cream delivery van Right now, but it's hardly a departure from current offerings—it might actually be catching on. Just imagine the hacker's Robomart version, loaded with the hardware, tools, and other components needed to get a project moving on a Sunday afternoon. Most of us would be willing to pay a premium for this kind of service if it keeps us away from it. interruption of work flow With a trip to the hardware store.
[Photos: Robomart]
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