Target, Walmart Embrace Mobile Checkout

With the approaching holiday season, mobile checkout options are ready for customers at Target and Walmart. Target’s “Skip the Line” service has now reportedly been deployed across the country, as Walmart plans to have “Check Out With Me” at each supercenter when Black Friday rolls around, according to reports.

With Walmart’s offering, which has workers carry mobile devices to help customers check out, store associates will be stationed in well-trafficked areas of the stores beginning on Black Friday. The retailer said, according to reports, “associates will help customers pay and go by simply swiping their credit card and providing them with a paper or electronic receipt for their purchase.” That technology was originally tested in lawn and garden centers, it was reported in April.

At that time, it was reported that associates will carry Bluetooth printers and cellular devices to give them the ability to scan products, swipe the credit cards and print receipts. Customers will reportedly save time, as they won’t have to go inside the brick-and-mortar store to pay for their outdoor lawn-related items. Additionally, customers can also choose to have receipts delivered electronically.

In the case of Target, the company’s mobile checkout experience, called “Skip the Line,” is said to be headed to stores across the country. The solution, which was brought to some stores in February, also involves staff carrying handheld devices to scan products and accept payments. If the store doesn’t have a particular item that a customer desires, staff can place online orders from the devices.

Outside of its stores, Target and Walmart are planning to offer shipping perks to customers through the holiday season: Target plans to offer free two-day shipping without a minimum order this holiday season, while Walmart is expanding its two-day shipping offering to include items from “high-performing marketplace sellers” as it brings about an easier return process for marketplace items.