Press Release
The Future of Frictionless Shopping Is Taking Shape: WeVend and SandStar to Launch Unique Batch Shopping Cart
For the First Time, a Smart Cooler Transaction Can Match the Way People Actually Shop — WeVend and SandStar Are Building That Reality
April 19, 2026
Los Angeles, California — April 2026 — WeVend and SandStar are announcing something the unattended retail industry has been waiting for — even if it didn’t know it yet: Batch Shopping Cart technology, a world-first capability currently in exclusive development that will allow a consumer to open a smart cooler, select multiple items, and complete a single payment transaction for everything at once. Debuting in Q2 of 2026, and WeVend and SandStar are the partnership bringing it to market.
The premise is straightforward, and the industry implications are significant. Every smart cooler transaction today ends the same way: one item, one payment, one checkout cycle. That model served a purpose when smart coolers were new, but as operators have matured their networks and consumers have grown accustomed to seamless retail experiences elsewhere, the single-item ceiling has become a ceiling on revenue. Batch Shopping Cart removes it. Consumers shop the way they shop — selecting what they want, in the quantity they want — and complete a single payment for the full basket at the end. SandStar’s ARK computer vision engine handles the item tracking. WeVend’s payment platform handles the settlement.
“We’ve spent 30 years in this industry building payment solutions that meet operators where they are — and anticipate where they’re going. Batch Shopping Cart is that next destination. Operators have been asking how to grow per-visit revenue from their smart cooler networks. The answer has always been multi-item checkout — but the technology to deliver it didn’t exist. WeVend and SandStar are building it.”
— Peter Zoumboulakis, President of WeVend
The development process is a direct product of the WeVend-SandStar partnership’s technical depth. SandStar’s real-time computer vision platform already tracks individual products with precision inside the ARK Smart Cooler — the capability to extend that to a full basket was a natural evolution. WeVend’s payment architecture was designed with multi-item transaction settlement in mind, enabling the aggregated basket to be processed through a single, secure checkout event on its North American payment gateway. Together, the two systems produce an experience that does not currently exist anywhere in the unattended retail market.
“What Batch Shopping Cart represents, at its core, is unattended retail finally catching up to how consumers already behave. People don’t think in single-item transactions. They think in baskets. Our computer vision sees that basket in real time. WeVend’s payment platform settles it in a single event. The experience becomes natural — which is exactly when technology is doing its job. We’re announcing this and excited to discuss with operators because the operators at NAMA are the ones ready to move first.”
—Mike Kiser, CEO of SandStar
To register interest in the early access program or to schedule a meeting at NAMA 2026, contact WeVend and SandStar using the information below.
About WeVend
WeVend is a North American leader in unattended payment solutions, backed by 30+ years of leadership experience. Its product ecosystem — including PayPro, PayPro Max, PayNote, and PayQR — serves operators across vending, carwash, parking, amusement, laundry, smart retail, and more. With a single North American payment gateway, PCI Level 1 certification, white-label capabilities, and WeCare white-glove support, WeVend simplifies the complex for operators who demand reliability and growth. Visit wevend.com. “Unattended Simplified.”
About SandStar
SandStar is a global leader in AI-powered smart retail solutions. Its proprietary computer vision technology enables fully automated, frictionless retail experiences — recognizing products by sight, with no barcodes or RFID required. SandStar’s ARK AI Smart Cooler is deployed across multiple continents, serving retail, food service, and convenience operators. Visit sandstar.com.
Included In This Story
SandStar AI Retail
Real AI. Real Easy.
SandStar is a global pioneer in AI retail, providing AI vending and AI store solutions. Its technologies help retailers safeguard revenue, optimize operations, and scale secure, efficient AI retail networks worldwide.
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