ALDI shoppers have criticized a new checkout change that some believe could lead to long queues and blocked aisles.
In Chicago, Aldi collaborated with technology company Grabango to create the Aldigo checkoutless shopping option.
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Shoppers can provide their payment information at the door to quickly pick up items and leave without being checked by the cashier.
All they have to do is download the Grabandgo app and use their phone to scan items so the software can charge them for purchases.
Although this technology has already been implemented in stores such as Amazon’s Go and Fresh outlets, Aldi is the first chain to install it in an existing store.
“The launch of Aldigo is a pivotal moment for the food industry,” said Will Glaser, CEO of Grabandgo.
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“Although more challenging, it was important for us to launch this technology in a typical store and not a store built specifically for us.
“Aldi is one of the world’s most innovative retailers and we are honored to partner with them to offer their customers a new and exciting way to shop in store.”
Shoppers are divided on the change, with many believing it won’t make shopping any easier.
“In theory, I like this,” said one person on Reddit.
“In fact, get ready for every hallway to be blocked by people trying to scan things on their phones.”
Another shopper said he would like to use the technology, but doesn’t see himself spending time scanning each item in his cart.
“If I didn’t have to scan each of my son’s many bags, I would be happy,” they wrote in the thread.
However, other shoppers compared the change to technology seen at Sam’s Club and Walmart and said they liked using it at other stores.
“Sam’s Club and Walmart have this and luckily I haven’t had any aisle blockages,” a different user wrote.
“But they both have areas where you can get out of the way or at least hallways that aren’t as busy.”
Other customers thought criminals would take advantage of the change to steal items.
Latest self-checkout changes
Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at several locations were made available only to Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed at specific times and more cashiers were offered in its place.
While shoppers feared that shoplifting would fuel the updates, a Walmart spokesperson revealed that store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.
One bizarre experiment included an RFID-powered self-checkout kiosk that would thwart fiercely contested receipt checks.
However, this test has been discontinued.
At Target, items are being limited in auto-checkout.
Last fall, the brand researched new express self-checkout lanes in 200 stores with 10 items or less for added convenience.
In March 2024, this policy was expanded to 2,000 stores in the US.
“People already ‘Grabango’. That’s the point,” joked one shopper.
Aldigo is only available on West Galena Boulevard in Aurora, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago.
“It’s exciting to see a free live checkout capability in one of our stores,” said Eric Traxler, vice president of IT at Aldi.
“Aldi is continually looking for new ways to be innovative and provide the best experience for our customers, and AldiGo is a great example of this in action.”
OTHER ALDI NEWS
Aldi has confirmed that a beloved dinner is returning to shelves after customers begged for its return.
Plus, one customer managed to cut his grocery bill in half after going to Aldi.
And people noticed that Aldi is selling a Stanley Cup game for just $9.99.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
