Case study · Sam’s Club Mexico · Walmart · 2018

Scan & Go: self check-out for Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club Mexico had huge queues at its checkout counters. Scan & Go lets members scan items as they shop, pay in the app and walk out past the queue.

Role: UX/UI Architect
Year: 2018
Industry: B2B Retail & e-commerce
Client: Sam’s Club Mexico · Walmart
Platform: Mobile app

01 · Problem statement

Queues at the checkout

Sam’s Club Mexico wanted to improve its in-store shopping experience: huge queues at the checkout counters, with long wait times.

Tackle in-store traffic

Less rush in the store means more business.

Discover the app

Get members to discover the Sam’s Club app and order online.

Go digital

Help members adopt their digital wallet and transact.

−50%

time to checkout — the experience metric

+10%

sales — the business metric

Lower cost

long-term, with fewer checkout staff

02 · Design process

Understanding the club

Huge footfall: loyal members visit weekly or fortnightly to stock up for their homes or businesses — and the solution had to scale with fast-growing loyalty sign-ups.

01Research
Quantitative & qualitative
02Concept
Personas & journeys
03Storyboard
The ideal trip
04Task flows
Onboarding paths
05Visual design
Screens & UI
06Usability testing
Revalidate

03 · Research

What the numbers and the aisles told us

2.1 · Quantitative

Who shops, and how

97%

come to the store because shopping is a family activity

trust online channels to buy and deliver

40%

are hoteliers and restaurant owners buying groceries

50–50

cash vs card — and cards carry a 2% fee

75–25

businesses (loyal 3 years on average) vs families

60%

use Facebook; 1 in 5 also has a Costco membership

2.2 · Qualitative

Why people avoid self-checkout

Personal hygiene

Shoppers dislike physical scanners other people have touched.

Self-checkout feels tedious

Scanning everything and paying yourself seems complex and slow to less tech-savvy shoppers.

Distrust of online payment

Mexico is cash-dominant; many fear card fraud and use credit only for special discounts.

04 · Concept

Two kinds of member

Illustration of a young couple, 51% male and 49% female

Persona 1 · FamiliesYoung couple36–65 years · 51% male, 49% female

Traits: 13% have babies
Children average 20 years old
62% Facebook, 26% YouTube
Enjoy shopping: “Shopping is family entertainment — I spend more than I should.”
Good selection: “I like stores where I find everything I need.”
Proven service: “I prefer stores a friend recommends.”