Gilbarco Veeder-Root · Vontier
· Convenience Store RetailJuxta
Frictionless Convenience Retail
- TAM identified
- $3.2BN
- Retailers interviewed, NA + EU
- 34+
- Concepts validated to build
- 1 of 3
Challenge framing
"How might we deliver the next generation of the convenient experience for consumers in a way that brings convenience closer to their daily lives?"
Where we want to play
Convenience is shifting toward the consumer, rapidly and permanently.
Everlasting shift
Slow, incremental shifts
Rapid, widespread shifts
Return to pre-pandemic levels
Who we spoke to: North America
North America
...and in Europe
United Kingdom
Germany, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Lithuania
Italy
UAE
Testing the solutions
Three concepts tested in parallel as potential supporting technologies for "Micro-Convenience in a Box," and as standalone propositions in their own right, to gauge relative importance and keep pivot options open.
Solution 1
A low capital, low risk way for a retailer to open up in new locations closer to the consumer, significantly reducing labor costs and allowing for higher margins and faster payback.
Solution 2
EZ Out, a frictionless checkout solution.
Solution 3
Optimise, a range and pricing optimization solution.
Concept wireframes
The three concepts as tested: Micro-Convenience in a Box, EZ Out, and Optimise.
The winning concept
We quickly narrowed our focus to one: "Micro-Convenience in a Box" resonated most heavily during testing with customers and experts.
What stakeholders told us
Frederick Beckmann, CEO, Q1 Energie AG (Germany)
"I definitely see the market need for this product."
Mark Smith, VP Retail, Breeze Thru (US)
"Stores are getting more and more expensive. If you can find a modular model in a prefab package, I think that’s a hell of an idea."
Jerry Marwood, MD, A.F. Blakemore (UK)
"This is a really good idea. This would allow us to go to places we don’t normally go to."
Product brief
Enabling the Micro-Retail environment: Autonomous, Portable, High ROI, Turn-Key, Low CapEx, Optimized, Integrated, 24/7, and an Intelligent Retail Data Hub.
Product roadmap
Four workstreams, phased across Build to Learn, Build to Validate, and Build to Scale.
1-6 months
Build to Learn
- Integrated Technology: autonomous technology landscape mapped, integration scoped and tested; customer backend systems identified and scoped.
- Renewing Consumer Experience: mapped consumer journeys within the unmanned and mobile environment.
- Low-cost Operating Model: definite BOM, high-level assembly-project outline, store operating plan, and location solar-panel opportunities identified.
- Intelligent Retail Data Hub: scoped foundation for the intelligence hub; tested location-optimization and consumer data sources.
6-18 months
Build to Validate
- Integrated Technology: pulled capabilities in-house, reduced software-partner reliability, defined Age-Verify tech integration.
- Renewing Consumer Experience: integrated cash, parcel pick-up, and sustainable transport offerings.
- Low-cost Operating Model: identified energy-saving opportunities and productized remote-support offering.
- Intelligent Retail Data Hub: productized the Retail Data & Intelligence Hub, scoped store profitability dashboard.
18-36 months
Build to Scale
- Integrated Technology: in-house capabilities integrated to Customer Loyalty solutions, SAAS capabilities for external integrations.
- Renewing Consumer Experience: additional personalized services positioning @MICRO as a destination.
- Low-cost Operating Model: remote support center in place, external supply chain solutions and partners located.
- Intelligent Retail Data Hub: PriceAI/RangeAI in place, mature infrastructure for large-scale operations.
Competitor landscape
Mapped by retailer size and degree of integration, from point solutions to turn-key. A clear white-space opportunity emerged in the mid-tier, turn-key quadrant.
Large retailers
Point solution: Amazon, Circle K, REWE. Turn-key: Zabka, Galp, Bingo Box, REWE.
Mid-tier retailers
Point solution: MAPCO, Giant Eagle. Turn-key: white space.
Small retailers
Turn-key: avec box, boxy, LIFVS.
White-space opportunity
- Large retailers likely want their own tech and POS systems, not ruling them out, but a smaller opportunity.
- The mid-tier is our target market: likely to want a turn-key solution and have enough stores to scale.
- Small retailers are a low-cost entry into entrepreneurship, but less attractive since selling one box at a time is more effort.
Market sizing
TAM, SAM, and SOM across the U.S. and Europe.
Total addressable market: US & Europe, 8,923 stores, ~1% of retail square footage.
Serviceable available market: US & Europe, 3,340 stores.
Serviceable obtainable market: US & Europe, 1,002 stores.
By 2032, micro-retail is projected to capture 10% of the convenience-store market’s growth.
Voice of Customer and community
Alongside the product work at Vontier, I built the research and design infrastructure around it.
- Led the VOC (Voice of Customer) process end to end: data synthesis, pain-point gathering, value propositions, and prototypes.
- Built a VOC playbook repository segmented by phase: ideation, incubation, acceleration.
- Founded and ran a cross-OpCo UX community spanning Teletrac Navman, DRB, Gilbarco Veeder-Root, and Matco Tools, with channels for design critique and knowledge sharing.
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