PDI integrates with Mashgin’s AI-enabled checkout

Dive Brief:

PDI Technologies is integrating its retail management and loyalty software with Mashgin’s frictionless checkout system, according to a Monday announcement.
Integrating with PDI means Mashgin — whose technology is already deployed at over 2,700 locations overall, including Circle K stores — will be easier to bring to c-store operators that already work with the retail and loyalty software company.
To date, PDI’s software is live in more than 200,000 c-stores. After its latest integration, many of those retailers will have an easier time offering AI-enabled self-checkout, if they don’t already.

Dive Insight:

Although Mashgin’s technology also lives in major sports stadiums, airports, corporate cafeterias, ski resorts and entertainment venues, the company appears to be focusing on the c-store segment with its latest partnership with PDI.

Mashgin’s self-checkout program uses computer vision to recognize customers’ items once they are placed onto the kiosk’s tray, and automatically rings them up.

With the integration, Mashgin transactions can be fed directly into the accounting and reporting features of PDI Enterprise, which eliminates various manual data and accounting tasks, according to the announcement. The integration simplifies accounting by reconciling between a retailer’s primary POS system and Mashgin, which keeps reporting consistent across stores that use Mashgin and those that have not yet been upgraded to Mashgin’s platform.

The integration can be implemented in as little as a week, according to the announcement.

“Having the direct connection between Mashgin and PDI has made the accounting and pricebook processes really smooth and has us excited to expand high-speed self-checkout in other locations very soon,” Jon Rier, chief financial officer for c-store retailer Refuel, said in the announcement.

Self-checkout kiosks have been added inside grocers and big-box stores for decades, and their reach is expanding. Last year, almost 200,000 new units reached a variety of retailers globally, including many c-stores. A 2022 survey from Dover Fueling Solutions shows many customers expect gas stations and convenience stores to be contactless and fully automated in 20 years.