Decathlon kicks off ‘scan and go’ in Germany

The world’s largest sporting goods retailer is rolling out mobile self-checkout across its 81 German stores.

France-based Decathlon is already live with the MishiPay mobile self-checkout solution in Decathlon Deutschland stores in Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Schwetzingen, and Plochingen, with more locations being added every week. 

Using the experience the retailer calls “Decathlon Deutschland Scan & Go,” customers scan and pay for items using their smartphone. The MishiPay app automatically disables the RFID security tag to leave customers free to exit the store, minimizing the need for contact with both humans and checkout devices.

Decathlon Deutschland had been seeking to develop a frictionless customer experience in recent years, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and need for social distancing measures in stores.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to improve the in-store experience for our customers, and we have found that they are really enjoying using the MishiPay app,” said Decathlon Deutschland leader of store digitalization, Stefan Hertkor. “What’s more, the solution has clear customer benefits in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic; enabling shoppers to use their own device for the entire shopping journey instead of needing to touch store hardware, and eliminating the need to wait at a checkout.”

Decathlon has been testing out various mobile checkout options at different locations around the globe. In the Decathlon “experiential retail center” in the San Francisco suburb of Emeryville (one of its two U.S. stores), the retailer runs store operations, including checkout, via iPhones. However, store associates perform mobile checkout at customer request using a mobile checkout station and an iPhone connected to the NewStore mobile store operations platform.