NUS students and staff might be familiar with Octobox for quite some time now. Despite sounding like a takoyaki stall, it’s actually an unmanned convenience store that sells everything from snacks to instant noodles and even beverages.
Best of all, customers need only have their phones with them to make their purchases.
Recently, Octobox opened its first heartland outlet in Hougang CC, offering a large variety of groceries and snacks.
The store has since gone viral on Facebook with one post by netizen Jack Lim garnering nearly 3,000 shares within 12 hours.
The first thing that customers will notice upon stepping foot into the store would likely be the shelves upon shelves of popular snacks from China.
Suan la fen was the unofficial instant noodle flavour of 2021. If you’ve yet to have gotten sian of the sour and spicy vermicelli, you can grab a cup from Octobox at just $0.99.
For customers with a more conservative tastebud, a myriad of popular cup noodle flavours from Nissin are also available at just $1.40 each.
Popular snacks from China have accompanied many of us through our WFH days for the better part of last year.
Instead of ordering them via Taobao and having to wait weeks for their arrival, you can now get them from Octobox at Hougang CC.
We spot spicy lotus root, sausages, and ‘beef tripe’ made of konjac jelly, that cost less than $4 a pack each.
There are also healthier snacks at the store such as almond and dried fruit – at around the same price – for those who are more health-conscious.
As for those who prefer feasting on potato chips as they binge-watch the latest Netflix series, Octobox also has a large selection to choose from.
There are also a large variety of drinks available for customers to accompany their favourite munchies, including carbonated beverages, milk tea, and even liang teh.
There’s even a smol section dedicated to groceries, perhaps for those who forgot to get a lettuce or cabbage while preparing their dinner.
Wise men say there’s no point crying over spilt milk. What we should do in such a situation though, is head to Octobox to get a new carton so we don’t end up eating a dry bowl of cereal for breakfast — that’s pretty sad.
The large selection of products at the store is great, but the magic behind Octobox lies in the checking out process.
Prior to entering the store, first-time customers would have to register by linking up PayLah details with their palm prints.
Customers with hygiene concerns would be pleased to learn that their hand need not come into direct contact with the scanner — just hovering it above will do.
Once they’re done shopping, customers can check out with panache by hi-fiving the machine instead of fumbling for their credit card at the cashier.
They will then get a message informing them of their purchase and the amount detected.
If you’re keen on experiencing shopping at the unmanned convenience store, here are the deets:
Octobox @ Hougang CC
Address: 35 Hougang Avenue 3 Singapore 538840
Opening hours: 9am -10pm until further notice (otherwise 24/7)
Nearest MRT: Kovan and Hougang Station
It’s certainly interesting to see technology being increasingly incorporated into our daily lives, bringing added ease to our convenience store shopping experience.
If you happen to be staying around the area, do head down to Hougang CC to check out the store and stock up on your WFH pantries.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Jack Lim and Hougang CC on Facebook.
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