Walmart expands Scan & Go program – and it could help the chain compete with other retailers (WMT)

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January 10, 2018 8:33 PM

Walmart is expanding its “Scan & Go” service, which allows customers to bypass checkout lanes in-store, to 100 new stores

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Walmart is expanding its “Scan & Go” service, which allows customers to bypass checkout lanes in-store, to 100 new stores, Business Insiderreports.

The service, which was already available in 25 stores, lets shoppers scan the barcodes of their selected items through a dedicated mobile app, and allows them to pay through the app and walk out of the store after showing their digital receipt to a Walmart employee. Walmart originallytestedthe technology in 2014, but consumers struggled to use the service.

Introducing Scan & Go to 100 new stores can help it compete with retailers that are rolling out similar services. Kroger recently expanded its “Scan, Bag, Go” service to 400 new stores, and the program functions similarly, though it does not yet feature the promised option of skipping the checkout lane.

Smartphone checkout appeals to consumers, so Walmart is wise to avoid falling behind its competitors in the area — it may have lost customers otherwise. Although 125 stores is nowhere close to the total number of Walmart locations, it still puts the retail giant on the right path and keeps it at least equal with its competitors in this area.

Walmart is developing an entirely cashierless store, which would take this service a step further. The store concept is being worked on by Store No. 8, Walmart’s startup incubator, and is said to utilize computer vision to track and charge purchases, which would potentially allow shoppers to avoid scanning their items or showing their receipts to Walmart employees.

This would make the shopping experience far more convenient, giving Walmart a leg up on other brick-and-mortar competitors that lack comparable technology.

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