Wal-Mart set to release ‘Scan and Go’ – allows customers to avoid long lines for checking out

• Edgar Cervantes
• 12 years ago

Current checkout systems seem ancient when we consider how far we have advanced in technology. Isn’t it time to start using these tools to make shopping simpler? No customer likes waiting in line for a cashier to ring up dozens (sometimes hundreds) of items, and this is what Walmart is said to be fixing with Scan and Go.

This app will allow users to simply scan products as they shop. The customer would then be able to come up to the register and simply pay for the products at a self-serving kiosk. Not only would this make it easier and faster for both the customer and the cashier, but it would alleviate part of the $12 million Wal-Mart pays cashiers (all over the country) per second.

There is no mention of having any mobile payment system embedded in the app, but it would be convenient if Wal-Mart offers a way to use credit cards to pay for products within the app. And if they don’t trust customers’ intentions (they likely don’t), they could simply have an employee look over the products and digital receipt at the exit.

Employees are said to be testing the system as we speak, so we should start seeing those lines getting shorter relatively soon. These tests are being done with iPhone apps at the moment, but we have no doubt they will release an Android app once the system is ready to roll out.

For now, let’s wait while we wait (in line). But we are curious to hear what you guys think of this system. How do you see these systems developing as we adopt current technology?

[Via: The Wall Street Journal]