Blog: How AI is Reshaping Fuel and Convenience Stores

AI-powered solutions are transforming the industry by reducing losses, accelerating transactions, and enhancing store safety, helping retailers navigate these challenges with greater agility and precision.

Reducing Losses and Protecting Profits
Shrink is a major concern for service stations and convenience stores, particularly with self-checkouts and limited staff coverage. Losses can occur anywhere—in the aisles, at checkout, or during cashier-assisted transactions.

AI-powered monitoring systems act as digital security guards, tracking store activity without disrupting the shopping experience. Imagine a customer slips a candy bar into their pocket while browsing the snack aisle, AI discreetly tracks the customer and reidentifies them at checkout. If the item isn’t scanned, the self-checkout freezes, and a staff member is alerted with video evidence on a dashboard. Transactions only resume once the issue is resolved, reducing losses without confrontation.

For self-checkouts, AI can detect missed scans and gently prompt customers to correct errors. In cases of intentional theft, such as swapping barcodes, the system can block transactions and alert staff. Intermarché reported a 2% reduction in erroneous transaction mistakes, resulting in a 15% reduction in staff interventions.

Even at cashier-assisted lanes, AI boosts accuracy. Picture a customer grabbing a soda and holding a candy bar in hand but only placing the soda on the checkout counter. AI flags the missed item, prompting the cashier to correct the mistake in real time. This proactive approach prevents unintentional losses while keeping the checkout experience smooth and friendly.

Speeding Up Checkout and Enhancing the Customer Experience
Customers at service stations are often in a rush — grabbing coffee during a commute, refueling on snacks, or making a quick stop for essentials. Long lines or confusing checkout systems can lead to frustration and lost sales. AI-powered checkout systems speed up transactions with multi-item recognition, identifying multiple products in seconds. For example, a customer buying a hot dog, chips, and a drink can scan everything simultaneously.

For stores selling age-restricted products like alcohol or vapes, AI-powered age estimation can streamline verification while maintaining compliance and privacy. Customers simply face the AI camera, which estimates their age within seconds. The system either approves the purchase or flags it for manual review, and images are deleted immediately after processing to protect privacy. Automation has reduced the need for human intervention in age verification by 75%, allowing employees to focus on other tasks¹.

By accelerating transactions and eliminating common friction points, AI helps retailers provide a faster, more convenient shopping experience.

Turning Insights into Action for Long-Term Success
Beyond real-time monitoring, AI generates valuable insights that drive smarter business decisions. By analyzing store data, retailers can identify peak hours, congestion points, and customer behavior patterns. This information enables them to optimize store layouts, adjust staffing levels, and refine front-end processes to enhance efficiency and meet demand effectively.

By transforming raw data into actionable strategies, retailers can continuously improve their operations and stay ahead of evolving customer needs.

The Future of Convenience Retail with AI
AI is no longer a futuristic concept — it’s already transforming service stations and convenience stores. From reducing shrinkage to speeding up checkouts, AI-powered solutions empower retailers to operate more efficiently, protect profits, and elevate the customer experience.

Diebold Nixdorf offers a suite of AI-powered solutions already installed in stores, addressing key retail challenges for Fuel and Convenience retailers:

• Vynamic Smart Vision^® | Shrink Reduction: AI combats shrink across the fuel and convenience store by monitoring aisles, detecting suspicious behavior, and identifying missed scans or barcode swaps at both self-service and traditional checkouts. Real-time alerts with video evidence help staff intervene effectively while minimizing customer friction.
• Vynamic Smart Vision^® | Multi-Item Recognition: AI instantly recognizes multiple products at checkout, including packaged goods and convenience store items, streamlining transactions and improving checkout speed.
• Vynamic Smart Vision&^® | Age Verification: AI automates age checks for restricted products, speeding up verification while ensuring compliance and protecting customer privacy.

Additionally, Diebold Nixdorf’s Storevolution^TM Advisory Services leverage insights from these AI systems to provide expert guidance on integration and optimization, helping businesses achieve peak performance and long-term growth.

By embracing these innovations, retailers can reduce shrinkage, boost efficiency, and create more customer-friendly stores — all while future-proofing their operations in an evolving market.

Upgrading AI for Continuous Innovation
AI-powered solutions are not just solving today’s retail challenges—they are evolving to meet future needs. Advanced AI features, such as real-time security alerts and accident prevention, demonstrate how AI can be continuously enhanced for greater impact.

For instance, if an employee raises their hands in distress, AI instantly triggers a security alert with live video footage, ensuring swift emergency response. AI can also detect hazards like spills and notify staff immediately, preventing accidents and potential liabilities. These features help create a safer store environment while improving operational efficiency.

Looking ahead, AI platforms can be expanded to optimize inventory management, enhance personalized shopping experiences, and further automate in-store operations. With scalable technology, retailers can seamlessly upgrade AI capabilities to stay ahead in a fast-changing market.

If you’d like to learn more about how Diebold Nixdorf is shaping the future of retail, click here.


Originally published in Mobility Plaza

Sources:
¹ www.yoti.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Diebold_Nixdorf_Case-Study_040225_V2.pdf