Challenge
Rossmann wanted to shift more customers from traditional checkouts and self-service tills to mobile self-checkout via the Rossmann app. Awareness of the feature was low among shoppers who were accustomed to existing checkout flows.
Passive in-store communication — posters, shelf stickers, and printed signage — was not driving meaningful adoption. Customers walked past these materials without engaging, and the app download-to-activation funnel remained underperforming.
The core problem was not the technology itself, but the behaviour change required: customers needed to be shown that mobile self-checkout was faster, easier, and worth the initial setup effort.
Solution
A Virbe in-store avatar positioned at a high-traffic location demonstrated the Rossmann app's self-checkout feature interactively. The avatar:
- Walked customers through the process step by step — from downloading the app to scanning their first item
- Answered questions about security, payment methods, and how the feature works in practice
- Guided customers to download and activate the app on the spot, turning a passive browsing moment into an active conversion
The deployment also appeared as part of Rossmann Innovation Days, where Rossmann's R&D team showcased it alongside other future-facing retail concepts being piloted. This positioned the avatar as a forward-looking retail innovation rather than just a point solution.
Why an avatar worked where signage did not
Static communication tells customers that something exists. An interactive avatar shows them how it works — and answers the objections that prevent adoption in real time. The conversational format mirrors the experience of a helpful store associate, but scales without staffing constraints.
Tech stack
- Virbe Platform — core conversational AI engine
- In-store kiosk — physical deployment at high-traffic store location
- Conversation Flow Editor — structured dialogue paths for app onboarding
- App integration guidance flow — step-by-step walkthrough of Rossmann app setup and self-checkout activation
Status
Pilot / Innovation showcase — deployed as part of Rossmann Innovation Days alongside other future retail concepts.