Walmart Testing iPhone 'Scan And Go' System: Scan With The iPhone, Pay On Your own

WalMart Buddies Up To The iPhone
A heavily-clothed Chinese woman is seen through an advertisement of iPhone 4S model reflected in a glass wall of an Apple Store as she and others wait outside to purchase the smartphones in Beijing Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. An angry crowd shouted and threw eggs at Apple's Beijing flagship store after it failed to open on schedule Friday to sell the popular new iPhone 4S model. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A heavily-clothed Chinese woman is seen through an advertisement of iPhone 4S model reflected in a glass wall of an Apple Store as she and others wait outside to purchase the smartphones in Beijing Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. An angry crowd shouted and threw eggs at Apple's Beijing flagship store after it failed to open on schedule Friday to sell the popular new iPhone 4S model. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

By Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is testing a "Scan & Go" system that would allow shoppers to scan items using their iPhones and then quickly pay at a self-checkout counter.

Earlier this week, Walmart invited employees with Apple Inc iPhones to participate in a test at a Walmart supercenter in Rogers, Arkansas, near the company's headquarters, according to a form on the Survey Monkey website (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/selfcheckout).

While self-checkout aisles are common at many stores, the ability to scan items with one's mobile phone while shopping is not a typical process. Supervalu Inc's Jewel-Osco chain once let shoppers use hand-held scanners and then enter that information at the checkout to pay, but that test ended years ago.

A push to get other participants, including Walmart employees' friends and family, appeared to have also been emailed this week by someone from the company's @WalmartLabs team, but could not be verified on Friday afternoon.

"We're continually testing new and innovative ways to serve customers and enhance the shopping experience in our stores," said Wal-Mart spokesman David Tovar.

(Reporting by Jessica Wohl in Chicago; editing by Matthew Lewis)

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot