Moscow, 15 September 2020 – X5 Retail Group, a leading Russian food retailer that operates the Pyaterochka, Perekrestok, and Karusel retail chains, has launched a contactless shopping system that is accessible via mobile devices. The Express Scan technology was developed in-house by X5 to boost customer safety and create a “no wait” and checkout-free shopping experience.
The solution will be piloted at 60 Pyaterochka and 30 Perekrestok stores in Moscow. Making a purchase is as easy as scanning a product and paying for it with the mobile phone before exiting the store, with no need to use a regular checkout. To connect to the contactless shopping system, customers can download Х5’s Express Scan app (iOS, Android) and register using X5 ID [1], which will enable them to scan products using their phone. The closest Express Scan-enabled store can be found using the app’s interactive map.
The Pyaterochka and Perekrestok loyalty programmes have already been integrated into Express Scan. It also supports a specific store’s promotions and allows customers to earn points as they usually do. The app also features full descriptions of products (contents, country of origin, weight, etc.) and the current price.
The purchase is initiated and completed with the help of QR codes that are placed in the store entrance area. Customers add products to the basket by scanning barcodes with their phone cameras, and on exit they pay with a single tap in the app or using a self-checkout. Express Scan does not support the purchase of alcohol and tobacco products. Customers can link MasterCard, VISA and MIR cards to their app profile or pay using Apple Pay or Google Pay.
For the first time in Russia, regular proximity stores and supermarkets will serve as the base for a fully contactless shopping system that will be embedded into the existing IT architecture and operating processes. In essence, Express Scan is a software solution that does not require any additional equipment and possesses multifunctional development potential. It was developed by an in-house cross-functional team at X5.
“With the world still coping with a challenging epidemiological situation, personal safety comes to the forefront. This is especially true for retail, where it dictates the choice of location and channel for food purchases. At X5, we are attuned to the needs and the customer journey of our audiences, which enables us to provide them with an optimal service offering of fully contactless, fast and safe shopping powered by user-friendly scanning and mobile payment technologies – with no cashier interaction at all. Customers will be able to just walk in, pick any product, tap ‘pay’ and be on their way. Our new Express Scan service will be piloted simultaneously across two retail chains, which will allow us to test multiple usage scenarios and lay the groundwork for a new shopping model that is best suited to what our customers want out of the food market,” said Igor Shekhterman, CEO of X5 Retail Group.
The pilot will run until the end of September, after which the Company will collect customer feedback and make decisions on fine-tuning and rolling out the service.
[1] X5 ID is a unified customer identification system that incorporates profile data in loyalty programmes of X5 chains and services