Sam’s Club will eliminate waiting in line at exits while employees reconcile receipts with purchases in baskets.  Computer vision technology has been deployed in an extensive trial in 120 Clubs since January.

After payment at a register or using Scan & Go, customers proceed to an exit where a combination of computer vision and AI verifies payment for all items.

Todd Garner, Chief Product Officer for Sam’s Club, stated, “Both exit technology and Scan & Go are driving new levels of convenience and raising member satisfaction.”  He added, “We are able to seamlessly deploy technology at scale across 600 Clubs nationwide, revolutionizing the checkout experience.”

It remains to be seen whether competitors Costco and BJs introduce similar technology.  From personal experiences, this commentator has never encountered a delay of more than 30 seconds in exiting a Costco Club usually burdened with dozens of items of various cost and size.  Is Walmart deploying the technology because it is available, as a deterrent to theft or do they have a real problem of shrinkage or alternatively under-scanning of purchases at check-out stations, or all of the above? Time spent by customers waiting in line is probably the least important among motivations.