2 minute read
The Week in Retail 120
by 55 North
Scan-at-home tech becomes reality
The app feature has the potential to change the way we all shop in the future.
Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has revealed its new barcode scan-at-home technology to help shoppers create shopping lists and reduce the time they spend looking for items in the store.
WHAT’S THE BIG CONCEPT?
We’ve all been there. We know what we want to buy, but every time we step into the store, we’ve either forgotten our shopping list or it has deleted itself from our brain. The new tech unveiled by Woolworths helps customers create a shopping list at home then find the items in-store.
Demonstrated to the public on its official TikTok account, Woolworths used celebrity staffer Liam Kirley to explain to customers how it works using an imaginary customer.
“This is Robin. Don’t worry, she can’t hear me, but look at how she is writing her shopping list by hand. Look how sore it’s getting,” jokes Liam, while Robin shakes out her tired hands. Luckily, she has her phone and she can make her list through the Woolworths app,” Liam says.
The customer is then seen opening the Woolworths app and navigating to the barcode scanner to start her shopping list. “In the search bar tap the barcode scanner, then scan the product you want to add to your list, then click ‘Add to List’,” Liam explains, as Robin scans a can of olive oil using the barcode scanner in the app.
Once the product has been saved to a customer’s shopping list, shoppers can check items off their list while they shop in-store. Shoppers will also find information, such as the aisle and price, to help them locate the product during their shop.
WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE?
TikTok followers of the Woolworths account were very enthusiastic about the prospect of using the app. “That’s how I do shopping and you can also save it,” one shopper chirped. “I cannot shop any other way now! I love the app!” wrote another.
A third revealed how shoppers can use the barcode scanner to find the price of items in the wrong place or without a price tag. “Pro tip: Find a random item in store that’s in the wrong place? You want it but don’t know the price? Barcode scanner to the rescue!” they wrote.
