Target Launches In-Store Checkout App
Target is making moves to become more omnichannel before the 2017 holiday season. Yesterday, the big-box retailer announced a new app called "myCheckout" for its in-store staff that will allow them to process online transactions on the customer's behalf, including taking payments from the store floor when merchandise is unavailable. TechCrunch reports the myCheckout app runs on handheld mobile devices that have a credit card reader attached for taking payments. Once an order has gone through, customers will receive an email confirmation, as if they had shopped online themselves.
“Guests already enjoy shopping here, but we can also ship direct to their home from our stores," said Mike McNamara, Target’s chief information and digital officer, in an announcement of the new technology. "The future of retail will neither be digital nor physical — it will be both.”
Total Retail's Take: The new app-based checkout system figures to help with busy crowds in-store this holiday season. Target has made the customer convenience a top priority over the past year, and getting foot traffic back into stores by blurring the line between physical and digital is a big part of that. While the retail battle most often discussed is between Wal-Mart and Amazon.com, with the two competing on emerging technologies such as smart home entry for in-home deliveries, Target has focused its efforts on improving the in-store experience through the use of technology. A simpler, but perhaps more effective approach.
