Symbol's Portable Shopper has changed the way people shop by allowing them to scan their own purchases as they go through the aisles, reducing checkout time and providing item and price checks, as well as a running total of purchases. The device, installed in more than 100 stores worldwide, was used by more than 800 Tengelmann customers in the first week. The Symbol Portable Shopper scanning terminal is lightweight and easy to use. When shopping is complete, the scanner is returned to the rack, and the transaction is completed with the printing of a bar-coded ticket.
Customers pay for their purchases at an express register.
Tengelmann has taken advantage of one of the few ways supermarkets can really differentiate in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The intelligent scanner system is linked to the in-store computer, which processes all data concerning products, price files and program customers. Each scanner contains a file of the store's items, identical to that of the store's cash registers. Supermarkets can use the collected data to better stock their stores based on information about their customers purchases. Special offers can be made to shoppers as a link to the store's loyalty program.