The Hyundai Unmanned Store 'Uncommon Store' Surpasses 100,000 Cumulative Visitors

Hyundai Department Store's Uncommon Store.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Hyundai Department Store's unmanned store, the only one operated in the department store industry, is gaining great popularity among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z).

Hyundai Department Store announced on the 31st that the unmanned store "Uncommon Store," which opened on the 6th floor of The Hyundai Seoul in February last year, has surpassed 100,000 cumulative visitors.

An average of 250 people visit the store daily, and on weekends, the waiting queue number reaches the 800s, showing high interest. Among all visitors, 85% are under their 30s, highlighting the store as a unique shopping spot favored by the MZ generation.

The Uncommon Store is an unmanned store created through collaboration between Hyundai IT&E, Hyundai Department Store Group’s IT specialist company, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It is a lifestyle select shop selling about 200 products including fashion accessories, daily necessities, food and beverages, and goods.

After scanning the QR code from the "Hyundai Food Hall ToHome" app to enter the store, customers can take products out, and payment is automatically processed within 3 minutes using the pre-registered payment method. The automatic payment is enabled by over 40 AI-equipped cameras installed on the ceiling and more than 150 weight sensors that track customer and product movements and detect weight changes.

Regarding the popularity of the Uncommon Store, Hyundai Department Store believes that providing a differentiated shopping experience not found in traditional department stores was key. In particular, they analyzed that it successfully targeted the preferences of the MZ generation, who prefer to explore and discover products on their own.

Differentiated content is also one of the reasons for the Uncommon Store’s popularity. Through the Uncommon Store, Hyundai Department Store has continuously introduced products popular among the MZ generation, such as goods featuring the popular emoticon "Choegosim," lifestyle products from the emotional convenience store "Nice Weather," and character products of Hyundai Department Store’s own character "Heundi."

The unique store design also contributed to attracting the MZ generation. Collaborating with the renowned domestic interior design firm "Akimosphere," the store was decorated using orange colors, which spread online as a popular "photo spot." The Uncommon Store also won the silver award at the "2021 Excellent Design Product Selection" ceremony hosted by the Korea Institute of Design Promotion last year.

A Hyundai Department Store official said, "We are considering opening a second Uncommon Store at a major branch," and added, "We will continue to conduct various experiments to provide customers with new experiences."

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