Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is piloting scan-and-pay technology at 14 of its shops in the Dallas area.
 
The mobile self-checkout feature lets customers skip the checkout queue and pay for their purchases using the 7-Eleven app, which already houses the 7Rewards loyalty programme.
 
The pilot gives shoppers a convenient checkout alternative to waiting in a queue. It works on Android and iOS devices and is available for all 7-Eleven merchandise excluding items that require cashier assistance, such as hot foods, financial services and age-verified products such as alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets.
 
Customers can use their smartphones to scan and pay for items while they shop. This frictionless shopping experience is integrated into the 7Rewards loyalty programme, so shoppers can automatically earn 7Rewards points upon purchase, redeem points to purchase applicable products and receive all in-store promotions.
 
The company claims it is the first convenience-store chain to develop proprietary technology for a full frictionless payment experience from start to finish. It plans to expand the service to additional cities in 2019 and first tested mobile self-checkout at its support centre store, where employees tried the feature prior to this multi-store launch.
 
"Our customers are on the go, looking for faster, more convenient ways to shop more than ever before," said Gurmeet Singh, chief information officer at 7-Eleven. “7-Eleven continues to redefine convenience by providing frictionless experiences for our customers with scan and pay. Our customers can now use their smartphone to skip the line, every time.”
 
To use scan and pay through the 7-Eleven mobile app, users must:

• Update to the latest version of the app or download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to ensure it has the scan-and-pay capability.
• If not already a member, register for the 7Rewards loyalty programme, open the app and tap “start scanning” at the bottom of the home page.
• Shoppers must be within the geo-fenced area in or around one of the 14 pilot stores for the shopping feature to appear.
• As they shop, they simply scan items with a barcode using the guides on their phone screen. Items are added to their basket, along with any discounts or promotional pricing.
• Next, they pay for purchases using Apple Pay, Google Pay or a traditional debit or credit card. Scan-and-pay stations with clear shopping bags are in the store.
• Once they pay for their purchases, they scan the QR code on the final confirmation screen at the scan-and-pay confirmation station.

"We want every interaction with 7-Eleven to be valuable and delightful and fast," Singh said. "Customers can now take control of their shopping experience and earn loyalty points at the same time. Customers are given a variety of options when they walk into a 7-Eleven store, from product assortment and customisation all the way to payment methods. We are taking the in-store retail experience to the next level with a series of innovations. Scan and pay is one of them."
 
This is the latest in a series of digital technology enhancements 7-Eleven has made available to consumers. Others include: offering various mobile payment options (Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay); expanding the 7Rewards customer loyalty programme to a wider range of eligible purchases; presenting AR (augmented reality) experiences; offering in-store package pickup via the 1100 Amazon Lockers at participating 7-Eleven stores; and launching the 7Now proprietary delivery smartphone app in select markets.