Baker's unveils new technology in hopes of a quicker shopping experience

[Uffda]

New technology at Baker's puts the check out aisle in the palm of your hand.

The new Scan, Bag, Go devices and phone app allow customers to simply scan and bag products as they shop. Kroger hopes that this will create a seamless shopping experience.

Kroger says Scan, Bag, Go also creates a personalized experience for customers throughout their shopping trip, allowing them to view and download digital coupons, keep a running total of their order, and view the current week's sales ad.

After picking and scanning items customers visit a store's self-checkout area to provide payment. Kroger says it hopes to eventually allow customers to pay directly through the app.

http://www.wowt.com/content/news/Bakers ... 18271.html

[Omaha Cowboy]

I wonder if I’m the only one who feels a bit overwhelmed sometimes with all these new technology advances ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Busguy2010]

I wonder if I’m the only one who feels a bit overwhelmed sometimes with all these new technology advances ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

You're not. It just sounds unnecessary to me. People really can't wait in line and face human interaction without losing their minds?

[nebraska]

[youtube][/youtube]

Stop and Shop has been doing this for a while, and I'm sure they weren't the first. It's mostly the honor system. So I guess Stop and Shop evaluated savings in cashier labor vs stolen merchandise.

As far as customer experience, I think we're moving in a good direction. 99% of what I buy is the same stuff. Only when I need help with new items or finding items. Today, I use self-checkout more than 50% of the time (but 100% at Bakers).

But I am against the idea of it being tied to a "loyalty card". The company is concerned with pushing products and tracking your habits. I hate being sold products the company wants rather than what I would like. I don't trust large companies with my private information.

[nebugeater]

But I am against the idea of it being tied to a "loyalty card". The company is concerned with pushing products and tracking your habits. I hate being sold products the company wants rather than what I would like. I don't trust large companies with my private information.

Unless you are paying with cash you loose that battle with or without a loyalty card. The CC or Debit card(s) that you use can your your customer info together.

[nebraska]

Unless you are paying with cash you loose that battle with or without a loyalty card. The CC or Debit card(s) that you use can your your customer info together.

My qualms are with the grocer having my spending habits. They track what I buy item by item. The credit card/bank only cares what stores I visit, not what I buy. It's the tracking me so you can sell stuff that bugs me. I use adblock on my browsers (and no script and lots of other things) as well have few social network accounts. Just stop trying to mold the customer to your products! Let me buy what I like. Also "loyalty prices" are a scam, but that's another topic.

Sorry, don't mean to get off track. We were talking about the handheld scanners.

[nebugeater]

Unless you are paying with cash you loose that battle with or without a loyalty card. The CC or Debit card(s) that you use can your your customer info together.

My qualms are with the grocer having my spending habits. They track what I buy item by item. The credit card/bank only cares what stores I visit, not what I buy. It's the tracking me so you can sell stuff that bugs me. I use adblock on my browsers (and no script and lots of other things) as well have few social network accounts. Just stop trying to mold the customer to your products! Let me buy what I like. Also "loyalty prices" are a scam, but that's another topic.

Sorry, don't mean to get off track. We were talking about the handheld scanners.

The card still identifed who you are and the store can tie the WHO to the purchase in their database and capture much of what the loyalty card does.

[jessep28]

There are ways to assign an ID and track individual shoppers without a loyalty card (e.g., credit card, survey, etc). The customer is already doing their own scanning with self checkout; I don't see much of a difference doing most of the work while they shop to expedite the actual checkout process.

I don't remember any uproar when stores introduced curbside pickup and delivery services. Both of those services virtually eliminate human contact as well.

[TheSeventhBrat]

Unless you are paying with cash you loose that battle with or without a loyalty card. The CC or Debit card(s) that you use can your your customer info together.

My qualms are with the grocer having my spending habits. They track what I buy item by item. The credit card/bank only cares what stores I visit, not what I buy. It's the tracking me so you can sell stuff that bugs me. I use adblock on my browsers (and no script and lots of other things) as well have few social network accounts. Just stop trying to mold the customer to your products! Let me buy what I like. Also "loyalty prices" are a scam, but that's another topic.

Sorry, don't mean to get off track. We were talking about the handheld scanners.

Believe it or not, Kroger does not sell your information. They do send out personalized coupons based upon your purchases and they will use your purchase history to alert you to any items that may have been recalled.

[TheSeventhBrat]

There are ways to assign an ID and track individual shoppers without a loyalty card (e.g., credit card, survey, etc). The customer is already doing their own scanning with self checkout; I don't see much of a difference doing most of the work while they shop to expedite the actual checkout process.

I don't remember any uproar when stores introduced curbside pickup and delivery services. Both of those services virtually eliminate human contact as well.

And since the associates are the ones doing the shopping, these minimum wage clerks know exactly what you're buying.

If someone doesn't want to participate, don't participate.

[bbinks]

How much will theft increase?

[TheSeventhBrat]

How much will theft increase?

Theft is not expected to be much of an issue, at least no more than what already occurs. Kroger -- well, at least Baker's -- doesn't really employ loss prevention to stop shoplifters. LP is there to prevent fraud and employee theft.

[jessep28]

Shrinkage was also cited by skeptics when self checkout was introduced. I'm sure a self scan program will be adjusted or discontinued if there's too much loss.

[bbinks]

Shrinkage was also cited by skeptics when self checkout was introduced. I'm sure a self scan program will be adjusted or discontinued if there's too much loss.

If the self checkout attendant is doing their job.. same as a regular checkout.. they'll look inside totes, backpacks.. places thieves like to conceal. Ticket switching is a bigger problem to catch.

[Dundeemaha]

Shrinkage was also cited by skeptics when self checkout was introduced. I'm sure a self scan program will be adjusted or discontinued if there's too much loss.

If the self checkout attendant is doing their job.. same as a regular checkout.. they'll look inside totes, backpacks.. places thieves like to conceal. Ticket switching is a bigger problem to catch.

Definitely not the self checkout attendant's job. It would also defeat the whole value proposition of the scan as you go system for customers.

Kroger just has to weigh the possibility for increased theft against the reduction in employee compensation and increased customer satisfaction.

[nebugeater]

Shrinkage was also cited by skeptics when self checkout was introduced. I'm sure a self scan program will be adjusted or discontinued if there's too much loss.

If the self checkout attendant is doing their job.. same as a regular checkout.. they'll look inside totes, backpacks.. places thieves like to conceal. Ticket switching is a bigger problem to catch.

Self checkout or reg checkout I have never had this experience of someone checking my "pockets" or seen it happen to anyone else.

[nebugeater]

One diff I see here is that with self checkout in most cases everything goes across a scale as bagged and the item scanned needs to match it's system weight, If you use an app to do this I do not see how that could be built into the system.

[Dundeemaha]

One diff I see here is that with self checkout in most cases everything goes across a scale as bagged and the item scanned needs to match it's system weight, If you use an app to do this I do not see how that could be built into the system.

That is different, but then again 2x I've come up to a self checkout at the Saddle Creek Wal-Mart and there is a full order at the payment step with the customer long gone.

If people want to steal, they will try various means. Even if more people steal with this it's a matter of how much it helps in other ways.

[bbinks]

Target and Walmart both look inside large items. I've been with Target 20 years. Had a cashier yesterday find almost 100 in cosmetics in a backpack. Guest declined to buy any of it, nor the backpack.

[GenX]

Does anyone else think that grocery stores should give their customers some sort of incentive to use self checkout?

[Padre]

Does anyone else think that grocery stores should give their customers some sort of incentive to use self checkout?

It’s called not having to stand in line at the checkout counter.

[Coyote]

Bakers and Target offer that as does Home Depot and sometimes I have to even wait for an opening there. If available I always use self check out.

[Padre]

I do as well. I vaguely remember the Hy Vee in Linden Market has self checkouts, but I haven’t seen them at any others.

[Uffda]

Does anyone else think that grocery stores should give their customers some sort of incentive to use self checkout?

It’s called not having to stand in line at the checkout counter.

Really depends. I was at a Walmart to quickly pick something up and their was a line at the self check out. Of course Walmart is infamous for having all those checkout lanes but hardly any checkers. That day, there was a checker lane open just down from self check with only 1 in line. So that day self checkout was the slower option.

[GenX]

Does anyone else think that grocery stores should give their customers some sort of incentive to use self checkout?

It’s called not having to stand in line at the checkout counter.

Right, and when you have a few items, it’s more convenient, but when you have a bunch of groceries and produce items, the self-checkout process is slow and cumbersome since we’re not nearly as efficient at scanning, looking up produce, and bagging items. And if you have alcohol, then you have to wait for someone to verify the purchase. Stores like Bag and Save and Super Saver are built around a model of bag it yourself and pay less (whether they’re cheaper overall is debatable), so why not advertise a 5% discount or something for using self-checkout?

[legato9]

I was jazzed to try these out...until they told me that, in order for them to work, Bakers needs your phone number, home address, and email address. I just handed the scanner back and said “no thanks.”

These businesses are getting absurd with their data harvesting.

What was wrong with them giving me some bread and me giving them $3? For the love of mighty Zeus.

[bigredmed1]

I was jazzed to try these out...until they told me that, in order for them to work, Bakers needs your phone number, home address, and email address. I just handed the scanner back and said “no thanks.”

These businesses are getting absurd with their data harvesting.

What was wrong with them giving me some bread and me giving them $3? For the love of mighty Zeus.

There is more profit in data mining than in selling bread.