- Walmart is testing technology that allows employees to use an app to unlock displays to prevent shoplifting.
- The technology, which is currently in several hundred stores, could lead to shoppers gaining access too.
- 1 in 5 shoppers surveyed said they would buy from another retailer if confronted with locked-down merchandise.
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Despite all the conveniences of modern retail, one frustration seems to be becoming more ubiquitous: the task of finding a store associate to unlock merchandise in an anti-theft display.
Now Walmart is working on a solution: new technology that will let employees use an app on their work device to unlock anti-shoplifting displays for customers.
Experts tell Business Insider that the move could have several benefits for the retail giant.
“Most decisions Walmart makes — most big decisions — check more than one box,” says retail strategist Carol Spieckerman.
While the system is currently in several hundred of the company’s 4,600 U.S. stores, Bloomberg was the first reported After this step, we have indicated that shoppers will eventually be able to access the feature as well. Walmart confirmed the report to BI.
While shoplifting costs retailers money, anti-shoplifting measures can also cost retailers lost sales. More than half of shoppers in a recent counter questionnaire say they regularly encounter blocked products, and nearly a fifth of respondents say they will buy the item from another retailer if they find it in a locked display.
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In this case, digital technology could reduce shoplifting while providing an incentive to get customers to sign up for Walmart’s digital services, including Walmart+.
The company already offers several benefits for Plus members, such as free shipping and Scan and Go functionality, which take some of the hassle out of shopping.
Chris Walton, a former store manager, Target executive and co-founder of Omni Talk, said the company will likely be very cautious about requiring customers to pay membership fees to get permission to access merchandise. He called it “a delicate issue for Walmart.”
Still, Walmart’s mobile app is available to shoppers regardless of whether they have a membership, and the company could generate a lot of value and drive downloads if they make the option free to use.
Last year, security device manufacturer Indyme tested it a product called the Freedom Case at several retailersincluding Lowe’s, Kroger, Safeway and Family Dollar.
The premise behind the Freedom Case is that customers who share their personal information to access goods are unlikely to steal.
“Trust is the name of the game in terms of loyalty programs and just a general loyalty proposition,” Spieckerman said. “Nothing says as much about trust as literally handing over the keys.”
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