Giant Eagle Inc. has partnered with checkout-free technology provider Grabango to create a “no-wait checkout experience.”
Founded in 1931, Giant Eagle Inc. operates more than 460 stores throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.
By partnering with Grabango, Giant Eagle strengthens its commitment to continually invest in the latest forward-thinking technologies to enhance the shopping experience for customers. Grabango’s enterprise class platform is designed to operate across Giant Eagle’s multi-format footprint with checkout-free technologies providing the flexibility that Giant Eagle greatly values.
According to a recent study conducted by Forrester Research, waiting in the checkout line is the top complaint among U.S. grocery shoppers. Giant Eagle and Grabango hope to provide a remedy for this consistent pain point through their frictionless solution.
With Grabango’s checkout-free technology, customers will enter the store and immediately start shopping as they normally would — without any hurdles, such as turnstiles or costly memberships. The more advanced checkout-free system automatically keeps a running total of the items each shopper selects.
Grabango’s platform has been installed at a pilot Giant Eagle location, and multiple executions of the payment technology are being optimized, including an app-based solution and another that allows the customer to pay with any tender they choose.
“Giant Eagle has been a fantastic partner on this groundbreaking project,” said Grabango CEO Will Glaser. “We are excited to be announcing our first checkout-free partnership with a major U.S. retailer. Together, we are offering a technology that is seamless and equitable for all.”
The solution does not use facial-recognition technology, but instead utilizes computer vision and machine learning to track shopped items. All data is anonymized to protect customer privacy.
“Giant Eagle is committed to advancing technologies that create an improved, stress-free shopping experience for our customers while still protecting their privacy,” said Giant Eagle Director of Corporate Communications Dan Donovan. “In Grabango, we have found a partner who shares our commitment and who can help us bring this enhanced experience to life.”
