Ice House Express store opens just in time for Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Zippin, the leading provider of checkout-free technology, announced the opening of its second Zippin-powered store in Houston’s NRG Stadium, in partnership with Aramark, the venue’s exclusive food and beverage provider. Just in time for the weeks-long Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo—February 28 through March 20— the Zippin-powered Ice House Express locations offer an entirely checkout-free shopping experience for the more than two million attendees expected to attend the event.
Aramark has worked with Zippin since 2020, continuing to expand the footprint of checkout-free shopping and accelerate its adoption at sports venues and stadiums across the U.S. At the Denver Broncos home: Empower Field at Mile High, for example, there are a total of nine Zippin-powered stores and according to a recent article in Sports Business Journal, the average transaction time has declined from just more than two minutes to 37 seconds, with 30% of transactions at 15 seconds or less. There has been an overall increase in sales per game, and a 42% increase in transitions during peak concessions sales periods.
“Partnering with Zippin has given us the opportunity to provide a best-in-class customer experience, while expanding the number of products on sale and increasing the amount of people we’re able to serve,” said Alicia Woznicki, Vice President, Design & Development, Aramark Sports and Entertainment. “The speed and accuracy of checkout-free stores allow attendees to quickly get a refreshment or snack and return to the fun of the game, concert or activity they are there to enjoy.”
How It Works
The Zippin-powered Ice House Express stores at NRG Stadium—located on the first level, sections 120 and 140—allow shoppers to tap a credit card to enter a store and then select the items they want. Zippin’s AI software automatically identifies the items, using overhead cameras and sensors, and adds them to a virtual shopping cart. The consumer can put the items in their pocket, bag, purse, or simply carry them out. No checkout is required. When they exit, the purchases are automatically charged and a receipt is available online.
“Zippin is excited to work with Aramark to bring checkout-free technology to the millions of visitors NRG sees annually,” said Gary Jacobus, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Zippin. “The next three weeks contain some of the most exciting moments of the year at NRG Stadium, attracting passionate fans to the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo. Zippin allows Rodeo-goers to get what they need in seconds, experiencing the frictionless-shopping they want so they can get back to the action.”
Zippin currently powers checkout-free stores in many types of retail environments across four continents, including sports venues, airports and train stations, and convenience stores. Its camera vision and AI-driven approach to checkout-free shopping works even in crowded stores offering a wide array of products.
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