A device called Scan It - in use at about half of Ahold USA's Stop & Shop and Giant supermarkets in the Northeast - allows shoppers to scan and bag their own groceries as they navigate the aisles, while a screen keeps a running total of their purchases, according to The Wall Street Journal. click here.
Editor's Insight: Technology keeps creating new ways for consumers to shop more conveniently. This article, titled "Check Out the Future of Shopping," examines how retail self checkout has advanced with new devices that allow shoppers to keep a running total of their purchases and deliver electronic coupons as they shop. The article notes these advantages translate into higher sales.
Does this have anything to do with automatic merchandising? Self checkout markets are one of the fastest growing technologies in automatic merchandising. As retail self checkout becomes more convenient, rest assured the opportunity for vending operators to improve their offerings with self checkout markets will also grow.
During the recent NAMA OneShow, there were not one, not two, but three self checkout market kiosks on the trade show floor. There was also an operator perspective panel on these systems, as VMW reported on 05-13-11.
The future is moving forward faster and faster. 05-19-11 by Elliot Maras
