Sam's Club Now is opening with no cashiers and putting mobile first

Sam's Club has said they are real close to opening a new store centered around mobile and scan-and-go technology in Texas - it's called Sam's Club Now. It aims to be a mobile-first shopping experience, similar to Amazon Go stores, powered by the new Sam’s Club Now mobile app, where your entire shopping experience from browsing to paying is all done on the mobile.

What to expect when Sam's Club Now opens

Smart shopping lists: They have developed intuitive technology that combines machine learning and purchase data to auto-fill a member’s shopping list. Shoppers can easily add or remove things, and as items are scanned the list will automatically update and move the item to their mobile basket.

Wayfinding and navigation: Gone are the days of wondering where something is in the club. Using voice search capabilities combined with new wayfinding and navigation features, a map will pop up and take members right to what they need. Eventually, we’ll be able to use beacon technology and a member’s smart shopping list to map the best route through the club.

Augmented reality: Sam's Club aims to bring items to life in the club by sharing new ways to use them, and they plan to integrate stories that highlight cool features, including how items are sourced. There are plans to use augmented reality to transform members’ digital carts into pirate ships.

One-hour Club Pickup: Using the app, members can now place and pickup an order within the hour.
The Sam’s Club Technology team, including technologists from our Innovation Center in Dallas, are leading this work. But innovation in Sam’s Club Now doesn’t stop with the app. At just 32,000 square feet, the club is a quarter the size of an average club. This makes it an ideal space to test new technologies that will make operating the clubs easier and more efficient.