Sainsbury’s has announced its trialing a slightly bizarre new app that will guide you to the items you’re seeking as you slouch around its stores.
The supermarket revealed today that it’s working on the as-yet-unnamed new app, which will allow you to fill your basket on the phone, then guide you to the products in the shop. The shopping sat-nav will then let you scan and pay for your shopping in the app, skipping the checkout entirely.
Jon Rudoe, Sainsbury’s Digital and Technology Director, says: “We know that customers’ weekly shop doesn’t start at our front door. They know what they like and they also like that search for a bargain. They still want to come into store – but with limited time, they want to get their shop done quickly.”
Sainsbury’s says it is testing the new system with its own teams over the next few weeks before rolling it out to Nectar card holders later in 2015. The question is: will it be any less irritating than self-service checkouts? Or will we now be slowed down by people staring at their smartphones with a bemused look on their face?
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➤ The end of lost lists and wandering the aisles [J Sainsbury Blog]
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