Walmart Testing iPhone-Based Self-Checkout System for Retail Stores

Reuters reports that retail giant Walmart is currently testing a new "Scan & Go" service at one Arkansas store that allows iPhone users to scan items with their device as they shop and then proceed to a self-checkout station on their way out of the store to complete their purchase. The report points to a survey Walmart is using to gather feedback on the initiative.

We are conducting a study to assess the usability of the Walmart iPhone app's new Scan & Go feature. Scan & Go enables you to scan products with your phone and bag them while shopping in a Walmart retail store, and then use the Self-Checkout at the front of the store. This survey includes questions to help us determine if you qualify for an interview session. We are simply trying to get feedback from real people on whether this new system is user-friendly, and we think you will find participating in this study fun!

walmart logo
Walmart's test sessions were held earlier this week, with participants being compensated with a $100 payment and a $25 Walmart gift card for the one-hour sessions.

Details on how exactly the purchasing process works remain scant, but allowing users to scan their entire orders before approaching the checkout stand could in many cases result in significant time savings during busy shopping periods.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. At the time,...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
apple unsold web store

Retail Accessories Apple Won't Sell You Now Available via New Site

Friday January 30, 2026 8:46 am PST by
A newly surfaced resale operation is seemingly offering Apple Store–exclusive display accessories to the public for the first time, potentially giving consumers access to Apple-designed hardware that the company has historically kept confined to its retail environments. Apple designs a range of premium MagSafe charging stands, display trays, and hardware systems exclusively for displays in ...

Top Rated Comments

chrmjenkins Avatar
175 months ago
Sounds like the perfect feature to deploy to a customer base with below average intelligence and technical inclination.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
STiNG Operation Avatar
175 months ago
Sounds like Wally World is going to have an increase in shoplifted item percentages.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrisfromalbany Avatar
175 months ago
Sounds like Wally World is going to have an increase in shoplifted item percentages.

you mean I don't have to do this anymore?

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Small White Car Avatar
175 months ago
Our grocery store already does this with custom scanners so I assume it would work exactly the same with an iPhone as the scanner.

Not really a complicated difference.

(But don't let real-world examples stop MR posters from telling you why this couldn't work. By all means, carry on. )
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The LPT Avatar
175 months ago
it could be a good thing. That is until someone gets arrested for stealing a 1 dollar item, because they forgot to press "PAY NOW". ;)
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alent1234 Avatar
175 months ago
How many of those people can afford iPhones in the first place though?

I have no doubts that if such a system is put into place that theft/ shoplifting/ 'I-thought-I-paid-for-it's' will increase exponentially and cause problems. But given Wal-Marts clientele, I think a majority will be 'iPhoned' out from the get go.

apple snobbyism

i went to buy something at wal mart a few weeks back. same kind of stuff as every other store except cheaper a lot of times.

i needed a generic windshield mount for my iphone and a car charge cable
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)