Checkout Lines Just Got Easier

The Bloom grocery store between Washington and Baltimore offers its shoppers the convenience of a personal scanner. This makes shopping time shorter because there is no more waiting at the checkout line, according to the Associated Press.

Stephanie Cerneck, a customer who uses the scanner, bags her groceries as she shops. She was quoted by the Associated Press as saying, "When I come up to the checkout, everything's already bagged, I go to my car, I'm done. No waiting in line."

The scanners are being used in Europe, according to the Associated Press. However grocers in the United States are using them more and more. Bloom stores and Martin's Food Market, in Maryland use the high tech gadgets.

Shoppers have the convenience of creating price tags with bar codes for produce that isn't priced. The items can then be scanned.

According to the Associated Press, Bloom also has kiosks that can print out recipes and show the customer where the items needed are located.

The personal scanner creates a bar code that is scanned at the front of the store for easy payment.

Shoplifting does not seem to be a problem. There are random audits generated to check that all items are being scanned. Information, provided by Karen Peterson, a Food Lion spokeswoman, to the Associated Press reveals that personal scanners are in about half of Bloom stores. Quoted by the Associated Press, Peterson said, "It saves time, they can watch what they're spending, it's a convenience."

According to the Associated Press, one customer reported that she saves about 15 to 20 minutes per trip. Lisa Sympson reported that is was easier and quicker. "So, that's quite a bit of savings for me," Sympson told the Associated Press.

Motorola has built one system that is used in about 1000 stores in the UK and over 100 of them here in the U.S., according to the Associated Press. It has the ability to set up bridal and gift registries.

IBM also has one that is used in Stop-&-Shops in New England that has a touch screen attached to the shopping cart.

Media Cart Holdings Inc, in Texas, has a system attached to carts that show store ads while the customer shops. There is a scanner in place that can keep track of what is placed in the cart, according to the Associated Press.

Yes, in case you are wondering, the system does allow for coupon use.

Source: The Associated Press, Alex Dominguez; Supermarkets Offering Personal Scanners