Sam’s Club tests all-digital store that has no checkout lanes

[Karah Rucker]

SAM’S CLUB IS TAKING A BOLD MOVE TOWARD A CHECKOUT-FREE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE.

THE BIG BOX RETAILER IS EMBRACING A FUTURE WITHOUT LINES, THANKS TO ITS ‘SCAN AND GO’ APP.

THEY’RE ROLLING THIS OUT WITH A NEWLY OPENED STORE IN DALLAS.

WHEN YOU ENTER, YOU’LL BE GREETED BY AN ALL-DIGITAL EXPERIENCE.

THE WALMART-OWNED MEMBERSHIP CLUB FEATURES A SHOWROOM-LIKE SPACE, WHERE CUSTOMERS SCAN ITEMS ON THEIR PHONES AS THEY BROWSE–NO CASHIER NEEDED.

CNBC REPORTS THAT CUSTOMERS CAN SHOP FOR EVERYTHING FROM DIAMONDS TO CARS AND, OF COURSE THE STORE’S SIGNATURE MEMBER’S MARK PRODUCTS.

INSIDE THE STORE, SHOPPERS WILL USE THE APP TO RING UP ITEMS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AISLES. AND IN AN AREA ONCE RESERVED FOR CASH REGISTERS, THEY’LL FIND DISPLAY ITEMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE.

THIS MOVE GIVES THE STORE FOUR TIMES MORE SPACE FOR PREPARING E-COMMERCE ORDERS FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP AND HOME DELIVERY.

SAM’S CLUB CEO CHRIS NICHOLAS SAYS THE STORE IS A GLIMPSE INTO WHAT SHOPPING MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.

HE CALLS THE NEW STORE A ‘TESTING GROUND’ FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.

BUT NOT EVERYONE’S SOLD–SOME SHOPPERS SAY THEY’RE A BIT WARY OF THE NEW TECH.

SAM’S CLUB SAYS STAFF WILL BE ON HAND TO HELP CUSTOMERS GET COMFORTABLE.

THIS NEW STORE COMES AT A CRITICAL TIME FOR SAM’S CLUB, AS IT WORKS TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF FROM ITS BIGGEST RETAIL RIVAL, COSTCO.

WHILE COSTCO OUTPACES SAM’S CLUB IN OVERALL SALES, SAM’S CLUB IS FOCUSING ON ATTRACTING YOUNGER SHOPPERS AND LEVERAGING TECH TO STAY COMPETITIVE. 

I’M KARAH RUCKER FOR MORE ON THE LATEST HEADLINES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP