Galp Smart Store: A Transaction-Based Case Study of an Autonomous Campus Convenience Store
(A2026-134009)

AUTHORS

Isabel Feix, Catolica-Lisbon; Maria Estarreja, Catolica-Lisbon; Eugeniu Litvinenco, Catolica-Lisbon

ABSTRACT

This paper examines adoption, usage patterns and demand dynamics in the Galp Smart Store, an autonomous convenience store located at a university campus in Portugal. Using transactional data from January to July 2025 (498 distinct customers), we document how patronage, weekday patterns and shopping missions develop during the first semester of operation. Results show strong coupling between demand and the academic calendar, midweek concentration, and small, focused baskets dominated by coffee, bottled water and quick snacks, indicating coffee-break and hydration missions rather than full-meal shopping. Calendar-informed SARIMAX models are used to assess the feasibility of short-term demand forecasting in this low-volume, volatile setting. The study adds transaction-based evidence to the emerging literature on autonomous stores and offers managerial implications for assortment, bundling, inventory and the design of smart convenience formats in campus environments.