Thread by @taps

1/ I just toured the @AlibabaGroup #newretail grocery concept, Hema, and I still can't pick my jaw up off the floor

2/ Each of the 50 Hema grocery locations enable delivery to addresses in the delivery zone within 30 minutes. Pickers gather items in 7 minutes or less of receiving an order. All the orders get placed on conveyor belts to go out for delivery

3/ Fresh produce sits on the shelf for *only a day* to guarantee freshness, after which it gets transferred to the in grocery restaurants and food preparation areas

4/ All the aisles have interactive, digital screens that can provide customers with product information, show similar products and even what the most popular items in the aisle are (by age group if you're so inclined!)

5/ Seafood is flown in from around the world. If it's in the store it was caught within the last 72 hours, no exceptions. The crazy part - most of the seafood is transported live! These are crabs from Russia. No crabs were harmed in the making of this thread (at least not by me!)

6/ Pricing is displayed and can be changed dynamically via wifi-connected, e-ink price tags. If something gets cheaper or more expensive, as determined by supply and demand both online and offline, the price displayed in store will change automatically

7/ Produce you buy can be taken home like normal. However, if you're feeling a little hangry after a long day of shopping, you can get one of the restaurants in the store to cook it for you to eat right there in the store!

8/ Most checkout takes place through a self checkout kiosk that can automatically recognize product. Payment happens via the Hema app (leveraging Alipay tech). Kiosks all have cameras at the top - eventually facial recognition will pull up your account as you walk up

9/ Just to recap: Buy online, deliver. Buy online, pick up in store. Buy in store, deliver. Buy in store, consume in store. Facial recognition. Automated checkout. Online and offline. Fast, convenient and dynamic.

10/10 No offense to Amazon, but Go has nothing on this experience. The future of grocery retail is already here, and it's in Hangzhou. This is one of an increasing number of situations where the US is the "developing country" #newretail #commerce