French supermarket chain Carrefour is trialling a check-out process where customers can reserve a certain time slot at the till. The service, called C’Réservé, will be tested in Villiers-en-Bière near Paris starting 25 August.
Time to pay
The consumers in Villiers-en-Bière will no longer need to stand in line at the till, as they will be able to reserve a certain time slot. The trial is similar to a test that Carrefour carried out four years ago, but at the time enthousiasm was rather muted. Covid-19, and all current doubts about standing in line close to other people, may change that attitude according to LSA.
In order to use C’Réservé, customers can scan a QR code, which is displayed on several locations throughout the store. Afterwards, they have to state whether they have a shopping basket or a shopping trolley, and then they can choose a time slot at the till. The registration process is complete when they have also entered their name and email address.
Competitor Monoprix already uses a similar system, but the scope remains very limited: after three years, it is only implemented in six stores. There, the Lineberty app calls customers whose turn it is to go to the till, but they can always press a button to delay their own till appointment.
