Macy’s is going to let customers bypass sales clerks in the process of making purchases.
The department store giant announced on Monday some new features that are coming to the mobile app it has including one known as Mobile Checkout, which gives customers the opportunity to scan and pay for their products using a smartphone.
The feature will become available on a nationwide basis in every full line store of Macy’s by the end of 2018. In addition, an augmented reality shopping experience for furniture is being worked on that will roll out on the app in April.
In the prepared statement, Gennette said that with the powerful tool as their disposal, Macy’s gives the shopper an opportunity to engage with the store on our terms, and new features continue to be added based on what our customers are telling us.
Most of the merchandise in the stores is to be made available for checkout using the mobile app, with the exception of some product categories within each store noting they might include leased departments as well as fine jewelry where the need of a sale associate exists to fulfill the purchase.
Customers wanting to test the mobile checkout at Macy’s, when this testing starts later in March at its SoHo Bloomingdale’s location in New York City, must download its app, which is compatible for both iOS and Android. Once they are in the store, customers will have to join the free Macy’s WiFi network.
When an item is found that a customer wants to purchase, they can scan the price tag of the item using the camera on their smartphone. The app lets shoppers apply for discounts when available or the company’s rewards for the loyalty plan for their purchases and pay using a credit card that is registered within the mobile app.
The mobile Macy’s shopping process has slight differences that that of the Amazon Go clerk free store that opened this past January. In that store, shoppers are able to walk out without encountering any sales people.
Shoppers at Macy’s using its mobile app pay option must still proceed to a special counter for Mobile Checkout close to the exist to have the purchase they made verified, the security tags taken off their product purchases and have the goods put into bags.
