Barclaycard trials new ‘queue-less checkout’ payment concept
Barclaycard has commenced a trial of a new payment concept that enables consumers to purchase low-value goods by scanning and paying for their shopping using their smartphone without the need to visit a physical checkout.
Called Grab+Go, the concept transforms a smartphone into a ‘pocket checkout’, allowing users to scan the items they want to buy as they pick them and then complete their purchase with a single click and walk out of a store.
Users download the Grab+Go app, create an account and pre-load their payment details, and then use their smartphone camera to scan the barcode on items as they go. When finished, they click ‘I’m done’ and walk out. The receipt is then stored in the app.
The technology has been designed to allow consumers and merchants to take advantage of invisible payments, the practice of removing the payment process from a purchase journey. Commonplace within many mobile apps but not on the high street, it removes the need to enter card details, a PIN, or swipe or tap for every transaction.
The concept is currently being trialled by Barclays and Barclaycard employees in the company’s staff restaurant in London. Staff restaurants in Northampton, Teesside and Wilmington in the US are due to follow shortly ahead of a planned public roll out.
Usman Sheikh, director of design & experimentation at Barclaycard, said: “One of the key customer frustrations with shopping is the time spent queuing to pay for items they want to buy – especially when they are in a hurry. Using the latest technology, we’ve developed Grab+Go to streamline the shopping experience by removing the need to physically check out every time you want to buy something.
“An important part of this trial will be getting feedback from colleagues, as well as the operators in the staff restaurants, to further develop the product and proposal. Once the final version is complete, it will be available to our clients to help revolutionise payments in their own businesses.”
