Kroger’s New Scan, Bag, Go Program – Is It a Yes or a No?
Hey there, awesome Hip2Save Readers!
This is Angela… Collin’s FAVORITE Sidekick here in Atlanta, GA (OK, so maybe I’m actually her ONLY Sidekick in Atlanta, but just forget I said that part 😇)!
Like many of you fellow busy moms, I’m always looking for time savers. There just never seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. But let’s keep it real, I need to be sure I have time to watch This Is Us, so I can ugly cry about Jack dying without guilt (pass the Kleenex, will ya). 😩
I usually try and order my groceries online when I can by using ClickList, Instacart, Walmart Grocery Pick Up, or Target Drive-Up. I find that I spend less since I don’t grab as many impulse items while walking through the store (there’s a reason my kids call Target the $200 store🤦🏻♀️).
However, there are often times when I need to run into the store and grab items that I missed. A few nights ago, I headed into Kroger for a couple of things, and I noticed a ginormous display for their new Scan, Bag, Go Checkout program.
My first thought was, Nah I’m good. This is going to be too much trouble. Then I saw that for a limited time, you can save an additional $5 off your first THREE Scan, Bag & Go orders of $35 or more, so I decided to give it a go. I’m all about saving money without having to print coupons – digital coupons are definitely my jam! 💃
Like any good shopper should, I made sure to read ALL of the instructions prior to shopping with the scanner. OK, real talk… I didn’t read ANY of the instructions, but I’m savvy, so this should be a breeze.
Here’s what you gotta do…
When you walk into the store, simply grab a scanner from the display, scan your Kroger Plus Card (or enter alternate ID aka phone number), and you’re on your way.
As you walk through the store, you scan the items as you put them into your cart. I found the scanner to be very sensitive (yes, friends, this is a scanner with feelings) so you have to be sure and point it exactly in the right angle/position for the scan to show up in your shopping list. Otherwise, it will give you an error.🙅🏻♀️
Trust me, after the first couple of products are scanned, you’ll have the hang of it and will feel like you’re on Supermarket Sweep! (Why was I never asked to be on that show? HAMS! GO FOR THE HAMS SUSAN!)
If you’re buying produce that needs to be weighed (hello, bananas 🍌), you’ll scan the barcode sticker, then when you are at checkout, you’ll be prompted to put them on the scale to get the final price.
Change of heart? No worries…
Find yourself changing your mind about an item, or you suddenly find a mysterious jar of Nutella in your cart that you didn’t put in there, you can easily remove the item from your cart with just a quick touch of a button.
Clearance and bargain hunters, rejoice – you can even price check items with the scanner!
Show of hands🙋🏼♀️… how many of you often find yourself fighting with the register at self-checkout… “Unexplained item in bagging area, please remove the item to continue”. Listen, sister, there is no unexplained item and I’ve bagged everything. LET ME LIVE MY BEST LIFE with these $1 avocados!
Scan, Bag, Go eliminates the shouting match with the register because everything is already taken care of before you even get there.
One tip I have, and it’s probably a given since it’s called Scan, Bag, Go – you can bring in your own shopping bags or grab some of theirs from the display when you walk in.
Since I didn’t read the instructions, I had to bag everything on the way out instead of the time-saving way of bagging them as I shopped. I think I was a little thrown off as the bags look like produce bags and not sturdy bags to handle your bigger items.
Paying is easy peasy!
When you’ve finished shopping, head to the self-checkout lane, scan the barcode on the monitor, enter your loyalty card phone number (or scan your card), and the screen magically loads everything you’ve scanned. Weigh any produce you may have and you’ll be set. The $5/$35 discount automatically comes off, along with any digital coupons you may have loaded!
The Verdict is in…
If you find yourself running low on time, give this new Kroger checkout option a go! It’s actually kind of fun, and you don’t feel the pressure of hurrying at the self-checkout lane since your items are already bagged and ready to go! I give Scan, Bag, Go a YASSSSSSS! 🙌
*Please note that Scan, Bag, Go may not be available in all areas/regions.
LOOOOOOVE scan and go!! it’s such a time saver. You scan and bag as you go, then pay and leave. you’re not having to pull everything out of your cart, scan and then bag it. It cut my time by alot. this is an awesome feature if you want to keep it moving and get out faster. the only thing I would caution, bring your bags. they do have plastic bags, but you’ll want to grab ALOT when you’re starting if you’re doing a big food shop. otherwise you’ll be running back and forth to the kiosk to get more. I keep my reuseable bags in the trunk so I’ve got them when I go into the store. it’s worth trying !
Yes, I am with you on the bags! I used Scan and Go again last night and this time it was even easier, but the bags they have on the kiosk you almost have to wrestle with to get them to open. So I’ll keep my bags in the car to bring in from now on.
do you know if there a list of what store locations will have the Scan, Bag, Program?
Hi Lori! I looked but did not see a list of them, you might want to call your store and ask if they are planning to add it soon.
i cannot find one either. i shop 2 different stores, 1 of them has scan,bag,go and the other does not. i love using it when i don’t click list.
They tried this at my local Walmart and Theft skyrocketed. It only lasted about a month and they had to dump the program because of losses
Oh no! Yikes! Hopefully that won’t be an issue here.
Awful. I was at my local CVS yesterday and mentioned to the manager that they are out of hand baskets. He said people were filling them up and running out the door. Ugh… people just don’t act right.
Wow. That’s crazy. I thought shoplifting was a sneaky activity. That is quite bold.
I was just gonna say that, Tia. People are getting bolder!
My daughter worked at Kroger in high school and my niece still does. You wouldn’t believe the amount of stealing that goes on! They push out carts full of meat and beer. They aren’t allowed to do anything! Ticks me off! They also go to self checkout and activate gift cards and then just leave without paying!!! Unreal!!!
Most gift cards will not activate till the customer actually pays for them
A cashier at my CVS told me, people will rummage threw the trash can outside where people throw away the receipt as they leave. And then after they find one from the trash, they come in the store and get the item then bring it up to the register and say they are returning it! And they have to do it! Omg people are so pitiful!!
I would be nervous about accidentally stealing. I would be so used to just tossing the item right into my cart, I am sure I would do it a time or two without even realizing it! 🤦🏻♀️
*without scanning it first, I mean
I wondered why they stopped offering the program at my Walmart. Unfortunately that thought never occurred to me.
i will TOTALLY CHECK this out!! I HATE the self scanners and they always cause my anxiety to go up because they yell at me when I bring my own bags and don’t want to participate.
Yes, give this a go! It’s fun and easy!
Just curious, how do they prevent folks from putting items in their bags without scanning them? Are the bags weighed when you check out, or is there someone that checks your receipt by the door, like at Sam’s Club?
They can’t very well monitor it. That’s why it my local store it didn’t last long. There are people who are there to watch but not nearly enough in comparison to customers. It’s a hay day for thieves which is why it didn’t work at my store. It’s also a pain in the neck because you have to keep track of whether or not you have scanned something instead of just throwing it in your cart.
Hey Angela.. I am from Atlanta too (cheers!!) and I have 3 krogers around my neighborhood. .I shop a lot in Kroger but I think I overlooked this or my store didn’t have it yet. Will go today for sure . .where in Atlanta is the Kroger you referred here?
I’m way up in Woodstock! Hello fellow ATLien! 😄
I don’t have Kroger’s near me (or anywhere in my state) but I loved your comment about Supermarket Sweep! My all time favorite game show!!!! Good to know someone else appreciates it! Lol.
Did you yell at the tv like I did? These people gave me high blood pressure when they didn’t know where to go! LOL
I don’t have this yet here in Mishawaka, In. But I would try it. My Kroger uses too many bags and I have to bring in my own bags. At least they can’t use too many of those. If it would make my getting out of the store faster I am all for it.
I miss having free grocery bags. I recycle them as trash bag for the bathrooms. California voted no plastic bags from groceries a few years ago, but one can still buy it at the groceries for 10 cents each, I think. I’m too cheap to buy those, so I always have reusable bags in the car.
We visit family in CA every year, and since I pay for those bags, they get packed in my luggage and brought home to shop with in WI! They are so much better than the bags here. I get asked a lot where I got such good Walmart bags! Lol
Me too, I haven’t bought trash bag for more than 18 years. I have small trash can under the sink and in the bathrooms so I reuse grocery bags.
New Mexico also has a pay for bags policy. I’m too cheap to purchase 🤣 and will walk out with my items in hand. It is a tad frustrating when you just want a disposable bag to put trash or muddy shoes in.
We don’t have Kroger near by but I enjoyed reading your review. Your sense of humor came through in your writing… Thanks for the laugh!
Aww thanks Becky! Glad you enjoyed it! ❤️
It worked well when I had small or medium orders. One day I had $160 worth of groceries. When I scanned the barcode at self checkout, the guy came over and said he had to check some items. He took out about 20 items and rescanned them. Added an exra 10 minutes and other people who needed him were annoyed.
Oh wow, I bet that was frustrating. I’m sort of surprised they don’t have an item limit on it at this point. I’m sure it will evolve as they work out the kinks.
I love this program. My local store has had it for few months. I love it because it makes shopping a lot faster. I usually bring my own bags anyway but if I forget I get their free bags. In order not to forget to scan something I leave it in the cart, and when I scan it I put it away in the bag. The produce is a little bit tricker but they have signs with instructions how to do it. All I have to do at the end is go to the self checkout and pay (after verifying my coupons came out correctly)
As someone mentioned I don’t think it is really easy for them to catch thieves. They may have people on cameras monitoring you but I doubt they can catch everything. I wonder if they randomly can just check your bags quickly. I would hate for this program to disappear because of dishonest people.
Produce always gets me, but now instead of scanning the item, I scan the sign tag that is in front of it, those are much easier to scan!
I have used Scan, Bag, Go, multiple times at out Payless in Lafayette, IN. I love this system. Tip: Use your Thirty One tote or a tote like this, makes bagging, and taking into house super simple. Also, they have randomly asked to see items in my cart at check out and matched them against the receipt. This is done help prevent stealing, I am guessing.
Thanks for the tip Rachel! I think you’re right about them cross-checking your receipt with the items in your cart. My store even has registers that have a detector in them that know if people leave items in the bottom of the cart, a bell will go off to alert the cashier, I think there’s even a camera at cart leve.
Love the sound of this shopping option! But, I can’t imagine me using it with a toddler in the cart—there is nothing he would love more than to punch all those buttons on the scanner!!
I feel like they wasted money on the scanners when we could just use our phones like Sam’s Club.
Not everyone has smart phones, though. This is really unfair and frustrating, because so many people are left out of programs, sales, deals, etc, just because they do not have a smart phone.
I agree Jodi, not everyone would have access to it that way. I do think its great that Kroger will give you sale prices on the Friday and Saturday items, if you ask and tell them you don’t have access to the online coupons. They have done it for a man in the checkout line in front of me before.
I have a smartphone and use it for coupons but I don’t have room to be adding scanning apps or anything else Lol.
It looks like you have the option to use your phone, too! And then you can pay right from your phone!
So it seems that the scanners are just an option for those who don’t have smartphones (or whose smartphones might be at 5% battery, lol!)
https://www.kroger.com/d/scan-bag-go-how-it-works
I worry this is going to put a lot of people out of jobs
Pretty sure that’s why they’re doing it. Minimum wage where I am will be $12 in the next couple years. Unfortunately it means frustratingly long lines at the grocery store, or using self checkout.
I read an excellent article the other day — I’ll see if I can dig it up — that said that developments such as Self-Checkout have turned out to be good for employees because they create jobs (just in different areas) and give employees more opportunities to train and move into skilled work.
Also, as more stores have moved to Self-Checkout and similar services, they’ve simultaneously added services like ClickList that retain staff in new ways.
I’m rather introverted, so I’m a huge fan of Self-Checkout just because it’s more personally comfortable for me, but I’ve always felt a little guilty about the affect it might have on workers. (Of course, I honestly don’t think that the staffing of checkout lanes at my stores has changed. The same three lines or so are still open, but now I have eight additional options to self-check and get out more quickly.)
Our neighborhood Kroger got rid of a bunch of registers and doubled the amount of self checkouts when they started this program. They used to always have tons of registers open and lots of baggers up front to get people out the door fast. It was great when I had a huge order. Now they left only a couple traditional registers. Many of the baggers were transferred to the Kroger across town when they implemented the Scan&Go so they don’t employ nearly as many checkout workers and baggers here now. Hopefully they keep them around at the other bigger store across town (that store may not do the scan & go because it’s where the college students shop, so I’m guessing they are worried about theft at that one.)
I think this is a good idea and would try it. It would save a lot of time but I agree that people would find it easier to “forget” to scan an item. Even with self-checkout, stores are taking that risk. I guess they’d rather encounter an increase in theft rather than hire more cashiers who require pay and benefits.
HAHA “Hams!” It’s so true!!! LOL thanks for the laugh.
😊
Sorry, I’m going to voice “nay” with this.
It’s one more thing I have to do at the store. I can’t really see how this can be a time saver. I really dislike the fact you have to keep your bags somewhere in the cart while shopping, in addition, you’ll need to keep your items that need to be weighed out and saved for the line. I just can’t picture this all working for me. I find it interesting how the stores give us less costumer service and yet costumers are convinced it’s a perk because it’s a time saver.
I would try this on a small trip. Maybe 10 items but no more.
Actually, they have a little barcode on a scale at the produce section. When you are done shopping for your produce (scanning the barcodes as you go), you scan the barcode at the scale. The scanner will tell you to “put your bananas on the scale” then it adds the right amount to your order so you can bag your bananas (or whatever) and it will tell you the next item to weigh. There is no weighing done at the checkout, so that does speed things up.
Now that you mention the scale, my Meijer store might have it. I liked it cuz it gave the exact weight and price. I wondered about the print barcode button but didn’t use since I just wanted the weight and chose any apple type
I wasn’t gonna do this scanner thing. But after reading this i might. I usually buy too much and have to haul it on the bus. This way I’d see how many bags i have while shopping.
I love scan, bag, and go… however, it can get super inconvenient when they have to scan so many items as an audit. I have been the ‘victim’ of them needing to scan 15-20 items more than once. I understand why they have to, but on a few occasions, it has taken more time than just going through checkout. I still take my chances because I strongly dislike dealing with other humans.
I’m in love with the scan, bag, go as well. I use it in the clearance section to price check things and then look for digital coupons, I’ve gotten a lot of things very cheap by doing this. It’s very easy to use and I’ve already bagged everything as I’ve shopped which is a HUGE time saver!
Wondering if you can apply paper coupons.
I’d at least try this since I’m a self scan register kinda girl and like to see the screen to ensure coupons applied.
I am wondering about paper coupons too.
I have used paper coupons with the scan & go and it’s not a problem. When you go to the register, you scan a little bar code at the register and it brings up your order, then you checkout like you used to at the self check out- so when go to pay you hit the “coupons” button and an employee comes over and takes off your coupons and then you continue checking out with your card or cash. HTH!
You have to give paper coupons to the cashier at SCO. So if you have paper coupons you wont be able to do it in your phone app
First off, u are priceless…I love how u write LOL ;-). And the THIS IS US comment I get, I’m always home on that night so that I don’t miss the show! Chrissy Metz is my favorite on it! 🙂
Now this sounds like something I would do unlike the ordering groceries online (I love shopping in store). The problem I would have is I’m always on my phone looking at my grocery list and digital coupons, so it might be kind of hard to juggle two devices. If I was just getting a couple things, I’ll definitely use it. Hopefully I remember all my reusable bags.
I will say tho, that I like interacting with the employees at Kroger when I’m checking out or at guest services. They have pretty good customer service and are most always friendly…many stores don’t have that now days. Alot of retail stores really need to learn customer service lol.
Oh and Kroger is really good with paper coupons also. I totally forgot about supermarket sweep thanks for the reference 😉
Aww thank you! ❤️
Oh gosh, I would love this! I hope they bring it to my store!
Our local Wal-Mart stores tried this out, but personally I rarely shop at Wal-Mart, so I never had a chance to try it out. Apparently they had a lot of issues with the scanners malfunctioning, so I believe they removed them from all of the Wal-Mart stores here.
Not only would this save time at the checkout, but I always shop with my own reusable bags, which takes so much longer at the checkout just to get them situated and opened and then to sort my groceries as I scan them. Being able to bag things together as I shop (and to limit myself only to what fits in my four bags) would be amazing!
I have to say no.. just another reason for them to hire less people. Even if the cashier isn’t having a good day, they’ll be more grumpy in the unemployment line.
The entire morning crew at my closest Kroger could use a job loss scare. They seem to have a bad day everyday. The unemployment line might enjoy their attitudes and customers wouldn’t have to deal with them
That Kroger has the best mark downs which is the only reason why I stop in.
I like the younger folks tho but they’d probably be the first fired due to lack of seniority.
I LOVE IT!!! I use a combination of paper and digital coupons every time I shop and my app with my shopping list. To keep better track of everything. I will use it as long as they offer it.
My spending 😬
This has been going on for years at my stop and shop, they even have new carts with a holster for the scanner. I personally hate. I never remember to scan stuff before I put it in the cart, the kids fight over who’s turn it is to scan…. my husband loves it. Either way it has lasted for years here. I think they do spot check and there may be other things in place.
Another new way to eliminate jobs.
The recent push for increased minimum wage is driving many companies to look for most cost effective options. Look at the McDonald’s app and Kiosks. I love using these kiosks and self checkout options, super easy. But a lot less cashiers and order takers. And as companies now realize that with less of these employees, not only are they saving on the hourly rate, but also paying less benefit costs, less unemployment tax, less FICA tax, and have less employee risk/liability. Huge jumps in minimum wage laws will cause these disruptive technologies to grow. Not necessarily a bad thing, but hard to see folks lose their jobs.
I’ve been doing this at Stop-n-Shop in NY for at least 5 years. It’s great when they have enough chargers fully charged. If not you can scan from their app. I haven’t noticed fewer staff. When it’s busy, they still have all registers going.
Hmmmmm …. now why would they spend all that money on physical technology, when they could have done a Scan and Go app like Sam’s Club? I like the concept, but seems like from a business perspective it may cost them more in equipment than they will save by eliminating actual employees. Cool, but they could have done better.
Because some people don’t have smartphones, and some people who do have smartphones have cheap ones with lousy cameras on them that can’t reliably scan barcodes. I loved when my Walmart briefly had this system with provided handheld scanners. I would’ve been there all day trying to get things to scan with my phone.
i cannot find one either. i shop 2 different stores, 1 of them has scan,bag,go and the other does not. i love using it when i don’t click list.
We do have this at our local City Market in Avon, Colorado. More than 50% of our population is Latin/Hispanic. I think it might get more traction, if they had some part of the display – especially the $5 incentive- in Spanish. They need to research their test markets just a little bit more. The year-round residents aren’t all rich white people…and unfortunately, they don’t care or use coupons. I work in Marketing, I know from experience.
I do not like the SBG, only because Everytime the attendant has to rescan as many as 11 items that I have scanned, which wastes everyone’s time. Why should I go through all the scanning just so someone else needs to rescan?