Sainsbury’s has become the first of the supermarket giants to launch a shopping app that lets customers use their smartphones to scan all their items as they shop and use it to pay at the checkout.
It leads the way for the kind of personal, one to one relationships that all marketers should be targeting , and it won’t be long until similar mobile services are available at all the major grocery stores.
The Mobile Scan & Go app is being trialed at three stores and Sainsbury’s is hoping to get 800 shoppers signed up and using the service in the next few months. Their feedback will shape how the service progresses and rolled out across Sainsbury’s stores.
To use the service, shoppers can download the free ‘Mobile Scan & Go’ app from Apple’s app store on an iPhone, or Google’s Play store on an Android device.
Then using the camera on their smartphone, customers scan the barcodes of items they put in their shopping basket. It calculates the running total, applying any relevant deals or in-store offers, and then all you have to do is scan a QR code at the counter and pay as normal. You don’t have to unload it all back through the counter, or scan any products again; you just pay and off you go.
Scan & Go is not dissimilar to the self-scan devices supermarkets like Sainsbury’s and Waitrose started introducing over a decade ago. These were never a huge hit, however the difference is that new customers are more conversant with doing everything on their own mobile phone.
It’s unlikely to be the main option for most customers and it won’t replace checkouts, but it paves the way for a lot more personal interaction between the customers and the supermarket giant.
The phone app is tied to the Nectar programme and users have to be cardholders to sign up, which means Sainsbury’s will have a wealth of data on customers taking part in the trial together with their historical data.
The capability is not currently built into this pilot version of the app, however further down the line Sainsbury’s plans to target shoppers with relevant promotions and offers at the shelf edge, when they are in shopping mode.
Sainsbury’s will know shoppers enter its stores and log into the app. It will know their shopping history and latest purchases and most importantly it will be able to message each customer directly, creating a one to one relationship with the customer while they are in the store.
The supermarket giant will be able to upsell, make recommendations and focus attention on in store offers directly to customers. The possibilities for both Sainsbury’s and for brands are overwhelming and it’s what all salespersons should be working towards.
A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said there are no plans to introduce the app on other mobile platforms, and that store staff will be carrying out checks to make sure customers have scanned all of the items they are carrying.
“We will be carrying out random spot checks and staff will come over to check if a customer has scanned all of the items that they have purported to have done,” the spokesman said.
He further added: “We will be rolling out the system nationwide if enough people end up using it and it’s considered a success.”
Sainsbury’s Group development director, Luke Jensen added: “We’re always looking for ways to enhance the shopping experience for our customers. Our innovative Mobile Scan & Go technology is fantastic for those wanting to manage their budget or simply those who want a quicker in-store experience.”
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