Endless aisles
How endless aisles work in retail
“We can show the customers all the products. We can show them the whole range and, with only one click, order it for home delivery.”
- Pernille Rasmussen, Head of Customer Experience, Matas
Endless aisles gives store teams access to the entire product range during the conversation with the customer. Using POS or mobile POS, they search products in real time, add missing items to the same basket, and take payment instantly. Delivery can be arranged to the customer’s home or a preferred store for pickup. The entire purchase is documented on a single receipt, digital or printed.
“When an item isn’t available in-store, staff can now access the webshop directly from the POS and place the order for the customer. It’s simple, and it keeps the sale within Salling.”
- Kenneth Holm Nørgaard, Head of E-commerce and Digital, Salling
Whether the setup runs on mobile POS or standard checkouts, the logic is the same. Endless aisle setups vary between retailers. Some handle the flow directly in POS as part of the standard checkout experience. Others connect through APIs that synchronize baskets and orders with the webshop. The goal is the same: to let store staff sell any product in the catalog, no matter where it is physically stored.
Why retailers choose endless aisles
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Benefit for the retailer |
Benefit for the customer |
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Keep the sale when local stock runs out |
Get the exact product they want |
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Use central or online inventory without overstocking every store |
Choose home delivery or pickup in a preferred store |
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One flow for orders, receipts, and reporting in POS |
Enjoy consistent prices and campaigns |
|
Extend the full assortment to smaller formats |
Experience the same service everywhere |
Many retailers report that endless aisle transactions account for a meaningful share of sales growth, as customers rarely leave empty-handed when staff can instantly access the wider assortment.
From retail concept to solution with 52ViKING
Endless aisles can be implemented in many ways depending on a retailer’s POS and e-commerce setup. The concept itself is technology-agnostic. It simply relies on connecting product data, inventory, and ordering capabilities so that customers can buy any item, regardless of where it’s stocked.
At Fiftytwo, this capability is built directly into our POS platform, 52ViKING, making endless aisles a natural part of the in-store experience rather than an external add-on.
How endless aisles work with 52ViKING
52ViKING, Fiftytwo’s POS platform, unifies POS, mobile POS, webshop, and inventory in one consistent setup. Pricing, promotions, and product data follow the same logic across all channels, so staff always apply the right campaign and price. On mobile POS, they build the cart, select fulfillment, and take payment in a single flow. For employees it feels like one system, and customers notice the difference.
“With 52ViKING connected to Salling.dk, store staff can help customers even when a product isn’t on the shelf. It feels like one system, and the customer notices that.”
- Kenneth Holm Nørgaard, Head of E-commerce and Digital, Salling
APIs and data connections
Endless aisles can be implemented in several ways depending on a retailer’s systems and data infrastructure. The concept relies on APIs that connect product data, inventory, and order management in real time.
These connections keep product information, pricing, and stock levels aligned across channels, ensuring that store staff always know what is available and customers can order confidently.
Inventory accuracy and logistics
At Fiftytwo, this setup is supported through standard 52ViKING APIs for basket sharing, product search, and order creation. Other retailers may integrate through their webshop or order management systems to synchronize product and stock data.
Reliable inventory data and well-aligned logistics are key to a great experience. The entire flow depends on real-time product availability and accurate order handling.
Grocery and convenience
Let customers order items not stocked in smaller formats, such as specialty products or campaign bundles.
Beauty and specialty
Store staff, like at Matas, use mobile POS to access the full online catalog and order colors or products not available locally.
DIY and home improvement
Sell bulky or long-tail items without stocking every variant in every store.
Consumer electronics
Order specific models or configurations not displayed in-store.
Fashion and apparel
Save the sale directly from the fitting room when a size or color is missing.
Matas – creating endless aisles with mobile POS
Matas equips store staff with mobile POS to access the full online catalog from the shop floor. Associates order the right color, size, or variant when it is not available locally. The result is a connected in-store experience in every location.
Ready to discover more?
If you would like to explore the technology in person, visit our showroom! Let us guide you through different POS solutions (from mobile POS to unattended shopping) and help you make the customer journey as frictionless as possible.
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