The FAHASA District 7 bookstore enables customers to locate books through modern intelligent identification technology. VNA/VNS Photo by Minh Thu

The first self-service bookstore in HCM City opened on September 18 at Lotte Mart in District 7.

The FAHASA District 7 bookstore covers 900 square meters, including a smart reading area.

The VND5 billion (US$215,600) store has an intelligent system that enables customers to locate books through modern intelligent identification technology.

Customers can scan the product code at automatic checkout counters and pay their bills with ATM cards.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s shopping habits. The intelligent system, which has been used at large bookstores around the world, can limit face-to-face contact with others,” said a representative of the HCM City Book Distribution Corporation (FAHASA).

The bookstore is set up with eye-catching shelves, displaying hundreds of thousands of titles from popular publishing houses and book companies in Viet Nam and the world.

It also has thousands of educational toys, stationery items and souvenirs from famous local and foreign manufacturers.

As a celebration of Mid-Autumn Festival, the bookstore is offering a discount of 10-50 per cent on all products. — VNS