The Last Step — Accepting Payment

The store is generally considered to represent the “last mile” of the retail supply chain. In recent years, retailers have focused on making this final, crucial step as easy and convenient for customers as possible. The emergence of leading-edge digital technologies has allowed retailers even further opportunity to turn paying for goods into a fast, seamless process.



Following are a few examples of how retailers are reinventing how products are checked out and payments are processed.



Panera’s New Payment



Platform Panera Bread has unveiled a series of integrated technologies to enhance its customer experience. Key elements of the new “Panera 2.0” initiative, now live in 14 of the chain’s locations and slated to be deployed in nearly all locations during the next 36 months, include an ordering option called Rapid Pick-Up that enables customers to place a remote online/mobile up to five days in advance, and pick up their food at a pre-determined time without waiting in line.



Eat-in customers can place an online/ mobile order from anywhere within the restaurant and have the meal delivered directly to their table. The fast-casual chain is also rolling out “fast lane” kiosks, equipped with iPads, with a goal of reducing wait times.



Customers can save customizations, past orders and favorites at kiosks and through online or mobile app ordering, and link them to their MyPanera loyalty or credit card. Panera’s new digital ordering processes are enabled by an online ordering Web function on its website and a mobile app that will allow customers to store their purchase history and credit card information for future use.



Tesco Speeds Up Scanning



British grocery giant Tesco is seeking to improve the customer checkout experience by piloting a new, high-speed retail checkout solution from NCR Corp. at its Tesco Extra 24-hour store in Lincoln, U.K. The solution uses imaging technology from Datalogic that automatically finds the bar code on any side of the product without the need to orient the item on the conveyor belt. It is capable of scanning up to 60 items per minute.



The Tesco Extra store has deployed four units. Each unit allows three shoppers to pack and pay at the same time. The solution allows customers to decide how they wish to use it and proceed at their own pace.



Customers can complete their shopping transaction using cash or payment cards, as well as scan their Tesco Clubcard or utilize coupons.



Tim Hortons’ Offers Mobile Payments



Tim Hortons has expanded its TimmyMe iOS app to include support for Passbook. Customers can add their prepaid Tim card to Passbook, which they can then scan to pay in-store or at the drive-through in participating locations. The TimmyMe app also offers a store finder and nutritional data.



Domino’s Pizza Accepts Google Wallet Payments



Domino’s Pizza is integrating Google Wallet with its Android ordering app. Domino’s customers who have an Android device can now pay for their online orders using Google’s digital wallet.



Domino’s customers can place an online order using the Android ordering app and pay by selecting the “Buy with Google” button at checkout..