MORGANTOWN — Morgantown residents now have exclusive access to a new technology that will make shopping a breeze.
Kroger on Earl Core Road in Sabraton launched the new Scan, Bag, Go service that allows customers to scan their own groceries as they shop and even pay for their order on a mobile app. This allows for avoiding checkout lines and using self-checkouts that Kroger currently offers. This system is the first to be introduced West Virginia.
Kyle Russell, Scan, Bag, Go Manager for Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic Division demonstrated how the system worked Tuesday morning.
“This is an additional shopping option for our customers. It allows them to have a little bit more control over their shopping experience and it speeds up their checkout process,” she said at the start of her demonstration.
A shopper will stop at a kiosk as they enter the store and pick up a handheld in store device, or can use their smart phone to shop. Users can enter their Kroger Plus Card information and then start their shopping experience. Shoppers can scan the bar codes and bag as they go, cutting out bagging and checkout time.
Russell showed how a customer can purchase something like produce, where price is measured by weight, for example, a bag of grapes. With scales located in the store, once weighted, the handheld device will vibrate, letting the shopper know the price and weight of the product. At the end of their visit, customers just scan a barcode on a self-checkout kiosk, and all they do is pay and go.
It’s a lot of fun, said Russell. During the soft rollout Russell said 1,000 customers tried the new service.
“Customers at this specific location are digitally engaged. We knew that the customers here would be interested in some new technology based on some feedback that they’ve given us,” said Russell.
She also said the store could benefit from an expanded self-checkout area. The store can get backed up when customers want to use self-checkout, so this allows for expanding their self-checkout area and gives cashiers time to focus on bigger orders.
The Earl Core Road Kroger is the 10th store in the Mid-Atlantic division to have the new system go live. Russell said Kroger wants to put Scan, Bag, Go in as many stores as they can given the positive feedback from customers and stores alike.
The program, developed by Kroger, is out of its testing stage and the company hopes to have it in 400 stores across the country by the end of the year. By the end of next year, they want another 500 stores to receive it.
“We’re looking at having a lot of stores with Scan, Bag, Go by the end of next year,” said Russell.
Allison McGee, corporate affairs manager of the Mid-Atlantic Division said the use of Scan, Bag, Go is very relevant to their customers because it allows them to shop with Kroger based on their preferences.
“You can choose to come in and shop and go through your traditional check lane and checkout with a cashier to have that personal conversation,” she said, “some customers who have kids or mobility issues may choose to use Clicklist where they want to order online and do curbside pickup. They don’t even want to come into the store and that’s what best suits their needs,” she said.
She continued by saying some customers might prefer to choose their own groceries and produce and Scan, Bag, Go is perfect for that. The biggest benefit is just another option available for customers.
McGee, a mother, said she will definitely be utilizing the system. She said she often uses Clicklist because she has young children so that suits her needs. She did say she has a lot of friends who are using the new service and they love it.
“I think this is going to be huge for this community,” said McGee.
