Wal-Mart expands self-checkout in stores via its iPhone app

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has its sights set on the smartphone-wielding shopper, this week expanding use of the “Scan &Go” feature for its iPhone app to 40 stores in the Denver area.

Walmart has been testing the mobile commerce technology in stores in Northwest Arkansas, Atlanta, San Jose, CA, and Portland, OR, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman tells Internet Retailer.

Scan &Go enables a shopper to scan the bar codes on products as she picks the products off shelves and puts them into her shopping cart. The app creates a list of all products scanned. When the shopper has completed shopping, she presses the Done Shopping button and the app generates a custom QR code.

The self-checkout terminals scan the QR code on the smartphone, tally the list, and ask the shopper to select a payment option to complete the transaction at the terminal.