UK supermarket chainSainsbury’s has announced that it is piloting an app designed to end checkoutlines by allowing customers to move around stores, scan their goods with theirphones and then pay with the app without ever having to go to a checkout line.
While the application remains in testing, pilots withinternal teams will now go ahead before a rollout to Nectar cardholders nextyear with the payment component of the application powered by real-time mobilepayments through the Faster Payments system.
Commenting on the announcement, Jon Rudoe, digital andtechnology director at Sainsbury’s said, “We know that customers’ weekly shopdoesn’t start at our front door – they know what they like and they also likethat search for a bargain. They still want to come into store – but withlimited time, they want to be able to get their shop done quickly. That’s whywe’re putting digital firmly at the forefront of our agenda, and puttingtechnology in the hands of our customers.”
Line busting has always been a priority in many retailsegments and by allowing consumers to freely move around the store and pay fortheir goods directly, Sainsbury is taking a strong step forward in reducing consumerwait times and helping consumers feel more comfortable with mobile paymentwhich is only a good thing for the broader mobile payment ecosystem.
Overview by Tristan Hugo-Webb, Associate Director, International Advisory Service for Mercator Advisory Group
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