I was excited a few weeks ago when I read Wal-Mart’s new Scan & Go system was coming to North Texas, but since my East Dallas neighborhood stores were not included in the initial test group, I made a mental note to find a store as soon as I could.
On a trip to East Texas, I happened to stop at the Wal-Mart in Sulphur Springs, and as I walked in the door, an employee asked if I’d like to try the new system for scanning items as you put them in your cart.
“Yes, please.”
The carts have a holster for the battery-powered scanner, and I got a quick lesson on aiming and how to remove items you decide you don’t want to buy.
I was also asked if I wanted some very sturdy brown paper shopping bags to put in the cart so I could bag items after I scanned them.
I found it easy to use the scanner, and the display was easy to read. Items showed up on the screen as soon as you scanned the barcode. As you shop, you can touch the item on the screen to adjust the quantity or delete the item if you change your mind.
Wal-Mart is usually pretty good about having the prices on the shelves, but one big advantage of the Scan & Go system is that it’s an instant price checker.
Produce is weighed on new digital scales. You enter the produce’s four-digit code, and then the exact weight from the scale.
When you are finished shopping, make your way to one of the two self-checkout areas on either ends of the store and use any of the Scan & Go stations to pay for your purchases.
Touch the start button and a QR code will appear on the screen. Aim your scanner at the screen, scan the barcode and all your purchases will beam to the register. You can choose your payment method.
The checkout process took less than a minute to complete, and I was on my way.
I handed my scanner back to the man at the door and told him I liked the new system. He said people were getting used to it, and it was becoming more popular. He said around two or three out of every 10 customers try it out.
When I told some friends about Scan & Go the first thing they said was, “What’s to stop people from stealing?” Good point — I wonder how Wal-Mart is planning on dealing with people who might not be 100 percent honest.
I hope the testing goes well, because I’m ready for Wal-Mart to bring Scan & Go to my local store.
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ABOUT THE WRITER
Jim Rossman writes for The Dallas Morning News. He may be reached at jrossman@dallasnews.com.
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