Sam's Club Scan & Go AI cameras

Sam’s Club’s Biggest Selling Point (IMHO) is Getting Even Better

Ever since my wife and I got a Sam’s Club membership, I’ve fallen in love with the store’s Scan & Go feature. Using the Sam’s Club app, I can add items to my virtual cart at the same time as my physical one, complete the transaction on my phone, and then just have the exit attendant scan a QR code on my phone before heading out.

This feature was particularly helpful during the pandemic and, more recently, has been awesome as it’s allowed me to easily buy a gift card on Pepper (to earn 5% back) and redeem it instantly. But, with all of that said, Sam’s Club has managed to find a way to make Scan & Go even easier.

A couple of weeks ago when we visited the club, we noticed that they’d erected large pillars near the exit. Walking through these pillars, I noticed what looked like a camera on each side. Then, this week, we were surprised when we got to the exit attendant and, instead of scanning our phone, they just said, “You’re all set.”

As it turns out, the store is now testing AI and “computer vision” technology to confirm that members paid for all of the items in their cart. This will hopefully allow customers to enjoy a more seamless exit experience — and mean that Scan & Go customers like me will be able to sail in and out of the store with greater ease.

Apparently, Sam’s Club began testing this new system in January. I actually saw mention of it at CES this year, but honestly didn’t think it would be deployed so quickly. Nevertheless, the press release says it expects to roll it out to 600 clubs by the end of the year.

From what I’ve seen and overheard from team members so far, this feature has been hit or miss. Although we happened to get the green light both times we’ve used it, some people ahead of us still needed to be stopped and scanned out the “old fashioned” way. Of course, as customers, team members, and AI grow more familiar with these operations, things should improve quickly.

For as much as I love Costco, the reason I’ve stuck with Sam’s Club has a lot to do with its Scan & Go feature (the fact that I now live across the street from a club also helps). That’s why I’m pretty excited to see how this new initiative shakes out. It also seems as though Sam’s will still keep staffing team members at the exit, so this should be beneficial for customers without negatively impacting workers. So, keep an eye out for this new system coming soon to a Sam’s Club near you — if it’s not already there.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Founder ~ Moneyat30
Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com. In 2015, Kyle and his wife Bekah moved from Los Angeles to Springfield MO in pursuit of greater financial freedom. Together, the pair enjoy travel, coffee, and spending time with their dog Rigby. Additionally, as of 2023, they become first-time homeowners.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

happy couple looking outside a cab window

My New Vegas Preference: Why I've Been Going Back to Taxis

There's no question that Uber has been a game changer for travelers and commuters alike. Not only did the platform provide an often less expensive competitor for traditional cabs but also made them easier to hail and pay for. Plus, it provided plenty of people with a solid side hustle...
elevators inside Atlanta Marquis Hotel

Travel Tuesday: Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel Review

Over the years, I've spent countless hours in Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but have never really ventured into the city itself (other than driving through it on road trips). So, when it was revealed that FinCon 2024 would be held in Downtown Atlanta, I relished the opportunity to finally explore...
Robinhood Presidential Event app

Trying Robinhood's Presidental Election Market: A Brief How-To

Is the upcoming presidential election not giving you quite enough anxiety? Then what if you also had money riding on it? Well, if you're a Robinhood customer, now you (potentially) can! That's right, early this week, Robinhood unveiled its Presidential Election Market. Here, eligible customers can purchase event contracts tied...
The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get Posts in Your Inbox
Featured Articles
happy couple looking outside a cab window

My New Vegas Preference: Why I've Been Going Back to Taxis

There's no question that Uber has been a game changer for travelers and commuters alike. Not only did the platform provide an often less expensive competitor for traditional cabs but also made them easier to hail and pay for. Plus, it provided plenty of people with a solid side hustle...
elevators inside Atlanta Marquis Hotel

Travel Tuesday: Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel Review

Over the years, I've spent countless hours in Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but have never really ventured into the city itself (other than driving through it on road trips). So, when it was revealed that FinCon 2024 would be held in Downtown Atlanta, I relished the opportunity to finally explore...
Robinhood Presidential Event app

Trying Robinhood's Presidental Election Market: A Brief How-To

Is the upcoming presidential election not giving you quite enough anxiety? Then what if you also had money riding on it? Well, if you're a Robinhood customer, now you (potentially) can! That's right, early this week, Robinhood unveiled its Presidential Election Market. Here, eligible customers can purchase event contracts tied...
Money Nerds Unite - FinCon Atlanta 2024

FinCon 2024 Recap: Returning to the Conference After 5 Years

It's hard to believe but, prior to the last week, it had been five long years since I attended a FinCon event in person. After going to my first event in 2018, I attended the 2019 conference in Washington D.C. — and then, well, you know. Even though FinCon had...