Walmart Tests New Mobile Checkout Technology

Walmart announced on Thursday (April 19) that it is testing Check Out With Me, a new service that will speed up checkout for Walmart Lawn & Garden Centers around the country.

In a press release, the retailer said there are more than 350 stores with Lawn & Garden Centers that will benefit from the faster checkout service. Associates will be armed with cellular devices and Bluetooth printers, so they can scan the items with the mobile device, swipe the credit cards and print out receipts on the spot. Customers won’t have to go inside the physical store to pay for their outdoor lawn-related items, which will save customers a lot of time. The customer can also choose to have receipts delivered electronically.

“As we continue to test this new process, we’ll be listening to our customers and working on ways to bring their expectations to life. Check Out With Me is the latest example of our commitment to deliver a more convenient shopping experience that saves our customers time,” Walmart said.

The move comes as Walmart is pulling out all the stops to take on Amazon in both the physical and online retail space. Earlier this week, it announced an overhaul of its eCommerce site, which will begin its rollout in May. In addition to a new look and feel, it will feature photography that shows off real-life moments, with “beauty and design” incorporated throughout the website.

“Our goal is to make it compelling for customers to shop for whatever they are looking for — whether diapers, laundry detergent or a new dining room table. We’re also expanding our color palette and adding fonts to bring more vibrancy and depth to the site,” said Marc Lore, president and chief executive of Walmart U.S. eCommerce.

In addition to redesigning the site to be more aesthetically appealing, Lore said the changes to Walmart.com are adding more local and individualized elements, with most of the home page personalized in some manner. For instance, he said Walmart will launch a new section that shows top-selling items based on a customer’s location, and will also feature the customer’s local store profile, including online grocery, order status and Easy Reorder where available.