Guest Feature: UltimateShopper Plus – Geck brings Artificial Intelligence to the shopping cart
With the UltimateShopper Plus, Geck presents an innovative shopping trolley solution that automates checkout processes, reduces theft, and enables targeted retail media.
Digitalisation in grocery retail is no longer a future topic – it is a prerequisite for competitiveness. Point of Sale technologies must now do more than just attract attention. They need to streamline processes, delight customers and unlock revenue potential.
This is exactly where Geck’s UltimateShopper Plus comes in: a smart trolley that becomes a central touchpoint between customer, product and retailer.
Pay directly at the trolley
Customers today expect a fast, seamless shopping experience. The UltimateShopper Plus meets this expectation with an integrated self-scanning and payment system that enables contactless checkout directly at the trolley. Long queues at traditional tills become a thing of the past. The trolley is equipped with a robust, waterproof Full HD touchscreen, an ergonomic handle, smooth-running wheels and a spacious basket to maximise ease of use.
For retailers, the system offers multiple benefits: reduced staffing requirements lower operating costs, while shifting the payment process to the trolley creates space for expanded assortments or promotional placements. Geck calculates an amortisation period of around three years.
AI-based theft prevention reduces shrinkage
A key component of the UltimateShopper Plus is its integrated loss prevention technology. It combines scales in the trolley base with a camera-supported AI system for product verification. For every scan, the system analyses recent image data to identify inconsistencies. Any discrepancies are flagged by a red light at the rear of the screen, alerting floor staff to potential fraud in real time.
The system also compares the scan location with the store layout: for instance, if coffee is scanned in an area designated for flour, an alert is triggered. The loss prevention technology ensures localisation tracking via infrared in order to be fully GDPR-compliant – cameras for person-tracking are not used.
In-trolley checkout: building loyalty through convenience
UltimateShopper Plus relocates the entire checkout process to the trolley. Customers scan items as they shop and can then pay directly at the built-in screen – without a traditional checkout or separate terminal. Retailers remain in control: the system allows them to define specific store zones, such as near the exit, where checkout is permitted.
This shift not only increases customer convenience but also reduces checkout staffing needs. It opens up new opportunities for reconfiguring store space – for example, with additional product displays or expanded shelf space. Checkout becomes an integrated part of the shopping experience, not a bottleneck at the end.
Indoor navigation with sales impact
The UltimateShopper’s smart indoor navigation not only helps customers locate items quickly but actively boosts sales. Products are precisely located, reducing unnecessary detours and the need for staff assistance. Simultaneously, the system analyses shopping lists and positioning to generate real-time product recommendations.
These dynamic suggestions are based on scanned items and in-store availability. Retailers can display promotions on the trolley screen or via digital signage – offering a new form of in-store retail media that drives cross- and upselling. Cashback models with suppliers can generate additional revenue streams.
UltimateShopper Plus
Watch a short video explaining the functions of the UltimateShopper Plus.
Data-driven space management and heatmaps
The trolley’s integrated tracking system uses a ceiling-mounted transmitter-receiver setup to pinpoint each trolley’s location in real time – without the use of privacy-sensitive cameras. This data enables the creation of heatmaps, definition of shopping zones and analysis of typical movement patterns.
Retailers gain valuable insights into dwell times, impulse buying and underused areas of the store. This supports more dynamic category management and optimised promotional placements. It also simplifies the analysis of seasonal or time-of-day customer traffic.
Customer acceptance through usability
The benefits for customers are clear: no queuing, intuitive operation, and full transparency over basket contents and prices. Items are scanned as they are placed in the trolley and can remain in the shopper’s bag – saving time. Additional product information, such as ingredients or allergens, is also easily accessible.
With its user-friendly interface and precise navigation, shopping becomes not only more efficient but more enjoyable. Personalised offers and suggestions enhance the experience without overwhelming customers with technology.
Modular, scalable and Made in Germany
The UltimateShopper Plus is fully developed and manufactured in Germany. J.D. Geck GmbH combines long-standing metalworking expertise with modern digital innovation. Its modular system allows for upgrades and retrofits – including the UltimateShopper Retrofit module that digitises existing trolleys.
Geck also now offers a solution for warehouses and logistics centres: the Ultimate Click & Collect picking trolley, which uses the same infrared tracking technology. It is designed for parallel processing of multiple orders and features three separate containers, including an insulated cooling box, to maintain the cold chain and separate sensitive product groups such as fresh, frozen and non-food items.
Ultimate Click & Collect simplifies multi-order picking
The trolley also includes a large built-in touchscreen and its own scanning unit. This allows staff to scan items directly as they are placed into the trolley, with products automatically logged in the system and the order digitally updated – improving control, reducing errors and increasing efficiency. Beyond grocery, the Ultimate Click & Collect trolley is also suited to non-food retail and large stores looking to streamline their online fulfilment operations and optimise picking routes.
With the UltimateShopper Plus, Geck demonstrates how smart technology at the point of sale can generate added value for both customers and retailers – and help make store space more profitable.
