Scan-and-deliver technology tests in Sam’s Club stores
Sam’s Club has revolutionized its Scan & Go technology into a Scan & Ship feature that enables a shopper inside a Sam’s Club to scan a product with the Sam’s Club mobile app and place an immediate direct-to-home order.
The feature is being tested in three stores and it works with large items, many under the Member’s Mark own brand, such as patio furniture, mattresses, outdoor grills and more. After scanning a participating item in the store, the shopper can select alternate colors and sizes that are unavailable inside the store and have it delivered in one digital transaction.
The Sam’s Club app experienced a large rise in downloads last year, reaching 9.6 million downloads, according to AppTopia, almost twice as many downloads as competitor apps, and it boasts a 4.9 app store rating. Positive user reviews indicated that many members enjoyed the Scan & Go feature, which expanded to all Sam’s Club fuel stations in 2020 and saw a 43.5% adoption rate increase year-over-year in Q1, according to Sam’s Club.
“We challenge ourselves every day to develop and execute convenient solutions that disrupt the warehouse model and provide additional value to our members,” said Tim Simmons, SVP, chief product officer, Sam’s Club. “Just like Scan & Go, Scan & Ship gives members greater control of their shopping experience. It’s exciting to see our team develop and launch the Scan & Ship pilot so quickly, and it’s got great potential to deliver the ultimate omnichannel member experience across our entire chain.”
The Sam’s Club app has been making strides with its digital services, expanding curbside pickup last year, for example. The Scan & Go technology continues to test on its own within the app, enabling shoppers in stores to scan and shop on the go, skipping the checkout line.
Also, in July, the retailer released a demo feature of the Scan & Go technology without the need of downloading the app. The feature leverages Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to scan a QR code and begin the experience. The demo enables a shopper to key in a payment option to have a cashier-free experience as opposed to have payment tied directly into the app.
The demo version allows a shopper to buy up to three things before a message requests to download the Sam’s Club app.