The Co-op pilots pay-in-aisle technology
The Co-op is piloting an initiative that enables shoppers to check-out their in-store purchases on their smartphone, without visiting a till.
Time-pressed shoppers will soon be able to pay in the aisle and avoid visiting a till all together as they use their own phone to purchase goods at the Co-op with an app built in partnership with Mastercard.
The “shop, scan and go” initiative is being trialled at the Co-op’s store at its support centre in Manchester, with a wider roll-out beginning as early as this summer.
The technology allows customers to scan products on their own device as they walk around the store. When they have finished, the amount they owe is then deducted from their account with a single click.
Matthew Speight, director of retail support at the Co-op, said: “It is a challenging market place for retailers, and the Co-op is responding positively. Our ambition is to harness technology to deliver the shopping experience that our diverse customer-base requires – when, where and how they need it.
“It is all about consumer choices and convenience. We listen to our members and customers and we are investing in our stores, people, prices, products and technology. We recognise there are many communities where customers pop in to their local Co-op and enjoy a friendly chat – it is all part of the service. Whereas for others, perhaps with a train to catch or on a school run, every second can count as consumers seek increased convenience.”
The technology also links information from a customer’s Co-op membership account, telling shoppers how much they have saved and how much the Co-op will donate to local good causes following the transaction.
The Co-op says it has seen the number of cash transactions in its stores rapidly reduce in favour of alternative payment methods. Cash transactions have dropped by more than one fifth over the last five years, with a 15% reduction in the last 18 months alone.
