The SAM club removes all self-verifiable kiosks and traditional checkouts from its stores. The company has announced that customers will now have to use the Scan & Go application to scan and pay for their items.
The retail warehouse company said that the decision was part of its plan to “redefine the club model and set a new standard in the retail trade”.
What is Sam’s Club replaces the cash registers?
According to Kris 6 News, Sam’s Club presented the Scan & Go system for the first time to its vine location in Texas. With the new configuration, AI technology checks purchases when customers leave the store – eliminating the need for receipt auditors.
Why are some customers concerned about the new Scan & Go system at Sam’s Club?
Grant Grisham, a member of the SAM club, said that he had already used Scan & Go, but he is concerned about people who do not also know more recent technology.
“This is probably the biggest concern,” Grisham told Kris 6 News. “The elderly are not really up to date on modern technology.”
Another buyer, Ivan Rodriguez, told Kris 6 news that he would prefer a hybrid model which includes both traditional and new payment methods.
“I think it will be better to have a mixture,” said Rodriguez.
For buyers with questions about how AI will recognize the items before customers leave the store, the IT teacher, Dr. Lewis Heuermann, explained that the system will precisely identify most of the products.
“A banana looks like a banana, a coke can look like a coke can … He will recognize it and invoice you for that,” Heuermann told Kris 6 News.
Dr. Nikki Changchit, professor of commercial analysis at Texas A & M University – Corpus Christi, responded to concerns about the potential for employment. She said that the introduction of the new system does not mean that employees will lose their jobs, but they may have to change their role.
“I think it is very important to educate and train employees so that they can also help the customer to adapt to these technologies,” said Dr. Changchit to Kris 6 News.
