Walmart has rolled out a new program that allows shoppers to scan and check out their groceries with their smart-phones to skip the checkout line. They've been testing it out in a few stores around the country and 10 of them are in North Texas.
Katie Perez is crossing off her shopping list at Walmart, something she admits isn't usually a favorite activity.
"I can make it through the aisles fine and get my stuff but it's the line that is the problem," says Perez.
She jumped at the chance to try Walmart's Scan & Go. It lets you shop and check out on your phone at the same time. Walmart manager Beth Amidon helped Katie try it out.
Katie got the hang of it fast but had to put in more work in the produce aisle. Scan & Go has users weigh their produce, and input the weight into the phone.
The program is similar to something being tested by one of Walmart's big grocery rivals, Amazon. They are testing a cashier-less grocery store, where the basket scan items as you put them in.
Walmart's system requires a bit more work, but they beat Amazon to get it to market. It's been in a testing phase in Walmart's sister company Sam's Club, and now is being rolled out to several dozen stores nationwide, including the ten North Texas stores.
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"Whatever we can do to help save money and save time for the customers that's what we're going to try and do," says Amidon.
The new carts are specially outfitted with a holder for your phone, a cup holder, and a place for bags. You scan the items on your cellphone and see your total as you shop.
"That's actually really nice too, especially when I have my kids with me cause the total adds up quick as they're throwing things in, so it's nice to know where we're at," says Perez.
When it's all done, you can't just walk out of the store. You still have to hit a checkout line where they check to make sure you're not a teen getting alcohol. If there's no booze, all you do is scan your phone get a receipt and go.
Jennifer from White Settlement tried it last week when the Fort Worth store did a test and now is back again.
"Its quick, in and out, and I don't have to wait in a line, it's easy."
As for Katie, she got everything for her taco's and was out the door without waiting in those lines and without another supermarket headache.
"Sometimes I don't like how things are bagged, I like to keep all my colds together and things like that, so its nice to have it all bagged and ready to go."
If you don't have a smart-phone, Walmart has scanners you can use in some stores that provide a similar experience and let you bypass the line.
Some stores have this going right now but Walmart promises all ten stores will be ready to go on Saturday August 12.
Here's where you can shop with Walmart's Scan & Go:
- Fort Worth - 9500 Clifford Street
- McKinney - 2041 North Redbud Boulevard
- Denton - 2750 West University Drive
- Weatherford - 1836 South Main Street
- Kaufman - 300 Kings Fort Parkway
- Gainesville - 1800 Lawrence Street
- Mineral Wells - 601 North FM 1821
- Sulphur Springs - 1750 South Broadway Street
- Waxahachie - 1200 North Highway 77
- Greenville - 7401 Interstate Highway 30
