Sam's Club's AI-powered Shopping Revolution
AI-Integrated Receipt Verification Expanded Across All Sam's Club Stores
Checking out at Sam's Club just got a whole lot smoother! The warehouse club announced on Tuesday plans to roll out an AI-enhanced and computer vision-based technology to verify purchases, effectively sidestepping the need for a clerk to check or scan receipts at the exit.
This groundbreaking tech is currently being piloted at 10 stores, with the ambition to implement it across nearly 600 locations by the end of this year. Initially unveiled at CES in Las Vegas, the company brands it as the first retailer to deploy digital receipt verification technology at scale.
Sam's Club believes this AI-powered receipt check is another step toward enhancing the shopping experience. Already, tech like the Scan-and-Go feature, which allows customers to skip the checkout line by scanning and paying for items via their smartphone app, has gained popularity.
In a blog post, the company shared that implementing digital technology will help alleviate the frustration shoppers often experience while waiting for a manual receipt check. Indeed, this minor inconvenience can sour the shopping experience. By rolling out this new technology, they hope to improve convenience significantly.
Chris Nicholas, Sam's Club CEO, said, "This innovative initiative is just another testament to Sam's Club's commitment to delivering an unparalleled member experience. By combining digital innovations with feedback from our members, we aim to provide the most convenient membership club."
When queried about the technology's development, a Sam's Club representative confirmed that it was developed in-house. Currently, the seamless exit technology is being piloted at nine locations in the Dallas metro area and one store in Joplin, Missouri. Although they declined to reveal the cost of this development, it's clear that Sam's Club is investing heavily in the future.
The AI-powered checkout tech is just one of several tech-driven initiatives announced by Sam's Club and Walmart this week. Other initiatives include:
- Generative AI search feature for iOS users, allowing customers to search for products based on use cases, and delivering refined results across various product categories thanks to its ability to factor in location, search history, and other relevant information.
- InHome Replenishment service, a new feature of InHome delivery that uses artificial intelligence to anticipate when customers need to replenish certain items and automatically add them to their shopping cart based on a personalized algorithm.
- Drone delivery, with Walmart planning to make this option available for 75% of the Dallas-Fort Worth region, bringing drone delivery to around 1.8 million additional households across 30 towns and municipalities.
These advancements signal a clear focus on leveraging technology to provide a seamless, personalized, and time-saving shopping experience. Moreover, this move positions both Sam's Club and Walmart at the forefront of tech-driven retail innovation.
Sources:[1] CNN Business[2] Business Insider[3] TechCrunch[4] Retail Dive[5] Sam's Club Official Blog [Accessed on January 10, 2023]
- Sam's Club's AI-powered technology, capable of verifying purchases without the need for manual receipt checks, is expected to revolutionize shopping experiences.
- The integration of digital receipt verification technology is a significant step towards Sam's Club becoming the first retailer to deploy such tech at scale.
- AI, computer vision, and digital technology are at the heart of Sam's Club's plans to enhance its shopping experience, following the successful implementation of Scan-and-Go.
- The AI-powered checkout tech is part of a broader move by Sam's Club and Walmart to leverage artificial intelligence, signaling a focus on providing a seamless, personalized, and time-saving shopping experience.
- Sam's Club's AI-enhanced tech for verifying purchases was initially unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
- Other tech-driven initiatives announced by Sam's Club this week include a generative AI search feature, InHome Replenishment service, and drone delivery, all aimed at enhancing convenience and personalization.
- The development of Sam's Club's AI-powered shopping technology was an in-house project, and it is currently being piloted in various locations across the United States.
