Navigating Inflation: How AI Helps Retail Stay Ahead

April 17, 2025

In 2025, rising minimum wages, along with surging food and rental prices, ongoing global supply chain disruptions, and escalating trade tensions, have made higher operating costs the new normal for retailers. Inflation continues to intensify. Take Taiwan’s economy as an example: according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, while retail and foodservice revenues grew by 2.6% and 3.6% respectively in 2024, inflation-adjusted growth was a mere 0.48% and 0.46%. ¹

Traditional cost-cutting tactics—like reducing staff hours or cutting business hours—offer limited results and can even harm the customer experience, leading to fewer return visits.

With labor shortages and unstable costs becoming daily challenges, many small business owners—like bakeries, pastry shops, canteens, and bento shops—are asking themselves: How do we protect our profit margins amid rising costs? Is there a smarter, more sustainable way to run our business?

As AI continues to advance, automation is becoming a practical way to tackle everyday operational challenges. Instead of risking customer experience by cutting staff, why not explore how technology can help keep the store running smoothly—day in and day out?

One such solution is the AI-powered checkout system. Hundreds of stores have already upgraded their workflows with it—streamlining operations, enhancing customer experience, and building a solid foundation for smarter, more resilient business models.

Easy Start: Flexible AI Checkout with Monthly Plans

Today’s AI recognition systems are far more accessible than you might think. All you need is a tablet and camera paired with a subscription service—no need for heavy investment in bulky, expensive hardware.

Setting up an AI recognition system mainly involves just two costs:

  • One-time hardware purchase: a tablet and camera
  • Monthly software subscription: includes ongoing access to AI recognition services and system updates

Overall, the cost of implementing this system is clear and manageable. But easy setup is just the beginning—the real value lies in the day-to-day operational benefits AI can bring. Here are some of the key advantages:

  • Faster onboarding for new staff: Unlike traditional checkout process that often requires extensive training, AI systems are intuitive and easy to learn. New hires and temporary staff can get up to speed quickly—an ideal solution for businesses facing labor shortages or limited training resources, helping to keep daily operations running smoothly.
  • Reduced staffing pressure: In an environment where hiring is tough and turnover is high, AI lowers the learning curve and operational complexity of checkout tasks. It reduces the reliance on experienced staff, allowing more team members to step in and help at the register, which helps stabilize store operations.
  • Faster product setup: AI recognition speeds up product listing, cutting down on the time and effort spent memorizing item names and reducing checkout errors.
  • Streamlined checkout process: AI instantly recognizes items, eliminating the need to manually enter product codes—especially useful for barcode-free items like pastries and baked goods. This makes checkout faster and smoother.
  • Fewer errors, fewer losses: Automated recognition minimizes manual input mistakes, reduces customer disputes, and improves the accuracy of sales data and reports.

Better Checkout, Better Experience: Turning Speed into Loyalty

Checkout is no longer just a transaction—it’s the final touchpoint in your customer’s journey. During peak hours, long lines, rushed staff, and increased errors can easily ruin the shopping experience and keep customers from coming back.

With AI-powered checkout, businesses have seen tangible improvements:

  • Faster checkouts, smoother flow: During peak hours, AI-powered checkouts help lines move faster and more efficiently—enhancing the overall customer experience and encouraging repeat visits.
  • Less staff stress, more consistent service: Cashiers shift from “data entry robots” to “customer care agents”, offering better hospitality and improving satisfaction.
  • A more modern, reassuring vibe: A tech-forward checkout experience enhances store’s professional image and gives first-time visitors a lasting, positive impression.
  • Higher customer stickiness: For regulars or those with small orders, self-checkout offers a convenient, queue-free experience (for stores with self-service setups).

This isn’t happening in just a few places—they’re why more and more businesses are adopting AI checkout systems. In today’s fiercely competitive market, that very first checkout interaction can be the key to winning a second visit.

Consistency Across Locations: Better Control, Fewer Errors

For chain stores, maintaining consistent operations across locations is essential to building a reliable brand. High turnover and peak-hour chaos can easily result in inconsistent service and costly mistakes.

AI checkout systems help solve this with:

  • Standardized checkout processes: Ensures quality stays consistent across locations and time slots.
  • Improved recognition accuracy: Fewer input errors, corrections, and customer complaints.
  • Faster training: Simplifies onboarding and boosts overall efficiency.

With AI handling the front-line process, checkout no longer relies on individual experience or skill. Every store can maintain the same level of service—reliably and efficiently.

It’s Not About Replacing People
—It’s About Helping Your Store Run Smoothly & Grow Sustainably

Faced with mounting cost pressures and ongoing labor shortages, the focus of retail competition has shifted—from expanding store count to improving operational efficiency and elevating the customer experience. AI-powered checkout systems have become practical tools that support smarter, more resilient retail operations.

In today’s high-pressure market, it’s an ideal time for businesses to reexamine the checkout experience and explore intelligent technologies that enhance both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

It’s Not If, It’s When

✅ Prepared for the high-cost times ahead?

If you’re:

  1. Running a bakery, pastry shop/pâtisserie, canteen, bento shop, micro market, or small retail outlet
  2. Eager to boost efficiency, but held back by hiring and training hurdles.
  3. Considering digital transformation but unsure where to start

👉 Start with your checkout process—it could be the first step toward smart retail.

📩 Fill out our “Contact Us” form to learn more about implementation, success stories, and free trials!

[Reference]
1 〈新高背後的滄桑…通膨推升影響 零售餐飲業營收創新高〉Yahoo 新聞。https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E6%96%B0%E9%AB%98%E8%83%8C%E5%BE%8C%E7%9A%84%E6%BB%84%E6%A1%91-%E9%80%9A%E8%86%A8%E6%8E%A8%E5%8D%87%E5%BD%B1%E9%9F%BF-%E9%9B%B6%E5%94%AE%E9%A4%90%E9%A3%B2%E6%A5%AD%E7%87%9F%E6%94%B6%E5%89%B5%E6%96%B0%E9%AB%98-223546371.html.