A Convenience Store Different by Day and Night... CU Opens Its 100th Hybrid Convenience Store

Appearance of CU Byself 100th store. (Photo by CU)

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] CU opened its 100th hybrid convenience store ‘CU Buy-self’ on the 24th, combining people and technology.

The 100th CU Buy-self store is located at Konkuk University Business Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. It focuses on enhancing operational efficiency for staff and convenience for customers by integrating various technologies within a limited space.

Launched in April 2018 as the industry’s first Buy-self convenience store, CU’s model operates as a hybrid system with staffed service during the day and unmanned service at night, suitable for locations where 24-hour staffing is difficult.

Unlike regular convenience stores, these special stores apply an access system through identity verification and a self-checkout system, mainly located inside schools, companies, and factory buildings.

The biggest feature of the Buy-self convenience store is its high security and post-incident response capability, as access authentication is done through the CU membership-based mobile app.

The CU Buy-self app, developed by BGF Retail in 2017, is a self-checkout app that allows customers to handle the entire process from access authentication to product scanning and payment using just their smartphones.

With the opening of the 100th store, CU has expanded access authentication channels to include Pocket CU, Shinhan PayFAN, and KakaoPay. Shinhan PayFAN and KakaoPay are exclusive partners of CU. CU membership customers can scan the QR code at the store entrance with these apps to open the door through customer authentication.

When purchasing products (excluding alcohol and tobacco), customers scan the barcode of the desired item, confirm the purchase details, and pay immediately via the Buy-self app or Shinhan PayFAN. Customers entering through Pocket CU and KakaoPay can use the self-checkout counters.

Security has been further strengthened through a partnership with security company S-1. Intelligent closed-circuit TVs (CCTV) cover all blind spots inside the store, and customized security systems such as anomaly detection sensors enable immediate dispatch and response from the 24-hour control center.

During unmanned hours, tobacco display cases and alcohol refrigerators are equipped with automatic locking systems, and intrusion sensors are installed near the counter to prevent theft and accidents. This unmanned system can be easily switched with a one-touch method, enhancing operational convenience for staff.

Unlike other companies that have pursued unmanned convenience stores based on overseas technology, CU has strategically nurtured the Buy-self convenience store. Since last year, it has introduced self-checkout counters in over 500 stores, promoting a hybrid model in the payment area as well.

As convenience stores are service industries, actual staff presence is essential to maintain core competitiveness. Moreover, unmanned convenience stores heavily rely on overseas technology and require investment costs at least five times higher than regular stores, making practical commercialization difficult.

From this perspective, CU has continuously upgraded related systems over the past two years to create a realistically expandable hybrid convenience store with reasonable investment in the domestic distribution environment. CU aims to operate 200 such stores by the end of this year.

Song Jitaek, Head of Innovation Division at BGF Retail, said, “CU Buy-self stores do not simply mean the presence or absence of staff but represent a new concept of consumer channels that pursue technology for people and maintain a healthy balance. We will prioritize convenience for customers and franchisees and create a CU that can be used 24/7, 365 days a year through diverse industry collaborations and continuous digital cooperation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.