I understand that Sams Club isn’t your typical grocery store model, but its Scan-and-Go app is absolutely the most impressive “self checkout” system I have ever

I understand that Sams Club isn’t your typical grocery store model, but its Scan-and-Go app is absolutely the most impressive “self checkout” system I have ever used, and I think other stores could, in selective markets, start adopting similar systems. Imagine being able to walk into a store, scan the items on your phone, pay in the app with a connected credit card, and walk out. I think one of the keys to the success of Sams Club’s system is that an associate must scan a QR code generated by the app, and then scans a few random items in your cart before letting you leave. It seems like this discourages shoplifting because every shopper is a known entity (by virtue of the app). It’s not a perfect system of course, for many reasons (you can’t use cash or be anonymous, for example), but it sure beats the hell out of any of the clunky and buggy self checkout systems I’ve ever attempted to use.