Kroger Announces Cashier-Less Checkout
Kroger announced it will be testing “cashier-less” technology in 2018. Business Insider reports Kroger's new "Scan, Bag, Go" technology allows customers to scan and pay for goods as they shop. Here's how it works: shoppers scan the barcodes of items they wish to purchase using a handheld scanner, provided by Kroger, or the chain's "Scan, Bag, Go" app on any smartphone. The grocery chain will test out the new technology in 400 stores, starting in 2018. The announcement comes weeks after Amazon.com and Wal-Mart announced they will test similar technology in their stores.
Total Retail’s Take: Kroger will be the first to offer cashier-less technology to a mass market, beating its larger competitors — Amazon and Wal-Mart — to the punch. Retailers are working on a variety of ways to improve the in-store shopping experience, and speeding up the checkout process is key among them. With more consumers opting to shop online due to the ease and convenience factor, especially with one-click checkout, it's incumbent for brick-and-mortar retailers to try and give its customers the same experience — or at least close to its as possible. Cashier-less checkout is a step in that direction.
