# Staffless Convenience Shops China's JD.com Plans to Launch Hundreds of Unmanned Stores By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2017-12-22 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unmanned-stores References: [telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/12/14/chinese-online-retailer-jd-plans-open-hundreds-unmanned-shops/) & [jd](http://jd.com) After conducting a test with 10,000 employees at its headquarters in Beijina, Chinese web retailer JD.com is planning to open hundreds of [unmanned stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/microstore). In place of staff, the stores will rely heavily on technology, such as cameras and facial recognition technology, which will be used to [eliminate checkout lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/self-checkout-lines), as well as provide custom promotions and advertisements. Heat maps will be used to monitor the flow of activity within a space, making it easier on the operators to efficiently stock products based on customer preferences. In the future, JD.com has plans to license the technology it has developed to other third-party retailers. As Song Ma, the vice president of JD.com describes: "From helping small stores' owners streamline their supply chains and increase stocking efficiency, to speeding up check out, this is a massive jump beyond anything in use today." Outside of the retail store, the online retailer also has plans to implement [autonomous vehicles for home deliveries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autonomous-supermarket). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 64% | Activity: 81% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Unmanned Stores:** The rise of unmanned stores presents an opportunity for technology companies to develop advanced systems for inventory management and customer engagement. - **Facial Recognition Technology:** The use of facial recognition technology in retail settings opens up possibilities for companies to create personalized shopping experiences and targeted marketing campaigns. - **Autonomous Vehicles for Deliveries:** The adoption of autonomous vehicles for home deliveries creates a new market for companies to develop innovative solutions for efficient and secure transportation. ### Where This Applies - **Technology:** The technology industry has the opportunity to develop and provide cutting-edge solutions for unmanned stores, facial recognition systems, and autonomous vehicles. - **Retail:** The retail industry can embrace unmanned stores and incorporate the latest technology to create seamless and efficient shopping experiences for customers. - **Logistics:** The logistics industry can leverage autonomous vehicles for deliveries to optimize last-mile transportation and enhance overall supply chain operations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Grab-and-Go Employee-Free Retailers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lotus-pick-and-go.md) - [AI-Driven Convenience Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autonomous-convenience-stores.md) - [Employee-Free Smart Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/teo-smart-stores.md) - [Unstaffed Grab-and-Go Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xstore-7.md) - [Automated Retail Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/muffato.md) - [Smart Cashierless Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cashierless-shop.md) - [Unstaffed Convenience Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wundermart.md) - [Cashier-Free Grocery Chains](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aisle-24.md) - [AI Checkout Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/self-checkout-lines.md)