Checkers Tests South Africa’s First Smart Trolley Featuring Integrated Checkout

Checkers has initiated a trial for South Africa’s inaugural smart shopping trolley, which the company claims will greatly improve the in-store shopping experience by enabling customers to skip traditional checkout lines.

This innovation, known as the Xpress Trolley, is currently being tested at two locations in the Western Cape: Checkers Hyper Brackenfell and Checkers Constantia. Each store has ten trolleys available, following initial trials with staff at the retailer’s Brackenfell headquarters earlier this month.

Developed by the ShopriteX innovation team, these trolleys are equipped with a touchscreen that assists shoppers during their shopping trip. Customers can scan items as they add them to bags within the trolley, monitor a live total, access personalized promotions, and make payments directly from the trolley using the bank card linked to their Checkers Sixty60 profile.

Read:
Can anyone catch Checkers Sixty60? (Hint: No)
How Sixty60 is turning Checkers into an unbeatable machine

The touchscreen also helps with in-store navigation, showing where products can be found. When done shopping, customers can proceed to a dedicated checkout lane, retrieve a printed slip, and exit through a gate without having to wait in line. A concierge is available for assistance.

“This pilot project enables us to rethink the in-store experience using technology for a seamless shopping journey,” stated Neil Schreuder, the chief strategy and innovation officer at the Shoprite Group.

“The Xpress Trolley improves convenience, speeds up the process, and empowers customers from entry to exit. Smart trolleys are not just about the novelty of having screens; they are about providing shoppers with real-time control, enhancing their shopping experience.

“We are also enthusiastic about its potential benefits for Sixty60’s in-store pickers, particularly regarding the increased speed and accuracy in the picking process,” he added.

Shoprite remarked that insights gained from this trial will shape its comprehensive omnichannel strategy, aimed at establishing the group as South Africa’s leading seamless and profitable retailer. Although smart trolleys have been implemented in international supermarkets, this marks the first pilot in the local market.

Read: Shoprite and Absa secure rewards partnership

Follow Moneyweb’s in-depth finance and business news on WhatsApp here.