I wanted a pint of milk.
It was the end of a long day and I’d just been shopping at Argos to replace a Vodafone Dongle I’d lost on the train. It had taken me a couple of minutes to locate an Argos which had one in stock , a couple of minutes to cycle there and a couple of minutes to buy the item, replace the SIM (pre programmed at Vodaphone shop). I was back on line within an hour – I was feeling pretty smart.
By Holborn Circus, where MaPS used to be is Sainsbury’s head office and opposite it is the Sainsbury’s Smart Store. It’s actually been around a couple of years as I found out when I googled it
Before returning home on a Santander bike, I stopped off for this pint of milk.
There were two members of staff at the door. I tried the door, it was locked. The (polite) staff members said I needed to scan a QR code to get in. I did this, and then pressed another button to give Sainsbury’s access to something or other – I decided not to read the small print, I wanted a pint of milk.
Not so fast! It then turned out that I would have to tell Sainsbury’s who I was, where I lived , my email, my phone and my bank details… before I was allowed to enter the shop.
All this happened on the street on a dark February evening.
Unlike the picture below, there was no smiling going on, just a tense stand off between me and the app.
I asked the (polite) attendants where I could buy a pint of milk without filling in a full financial fact-find. The answer was “not here“.
Not quite my experience
Here’s how Sainsbury’s describe my experience
- New initiative available at Holborn Circus using Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology
- Example of Sainsbury’s innovative approach to make shopping easy
- SmartShop popular with customers and sales have increased 173% year-on-year
Well they didn’t get my sale. I went back to Vodafone to thank the staff for their courtesy and help. They even helped me get all my devices linked to my new dongle. I went back to the Argos store in Cheapside to thank the people there for pointing me to the Holborn Argos (the one by the strip club that no one admits to going to).
As I walked back home through the New Change Marks and Spencer, I met Laetitia , our friend from the Paternoster square branch (now closed down). Laetitia – who is a great person, gave me a hug and asked after my wife. I bought a pint of milk. I said how glad I was to see her happy after being transferred, she said it wasn’t quite the same but she was settling in.
When I finally collapsed on the sofa with my dongle, my devices and my pint of milk, I realized that the only thing that hadn’t gone well had been my five minute attempt to buy a pint of milk at Sainsbury’s. My heart went out to the two people at the door who have to deal with muggins’ like me every day. They were polite and understanding, I am sure I was not the first person who had given up on the app yesterday
I know that there are many other Sainsbury’s stores around the City of London than the Smart one, I won’t stop using them – they’re great. But I won’t be made to feel stupid again as the Sainsbury’s app that came off the Q-code made me feel stupid.
I don’t want to give my life story to Sainsbury’s to buy a pint of milk.
This morning I read what Sainsburys wrote about the Smart Shop when they opened it
Clo Moriarty, Sainsbury’s Retail and Digital Director, said: “We are always looking at new ways to make shopping easy and convenient for our customers. We are excited about launching ‘SmartShop Pick & Go,’ which offers contactless, checkout-free shopping to our customers and are looking forward to hearing their feedback.”
Dilip Kumar, Amazon’s Vice President of Physical Retail and Technology, said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Sainsbury’s to enable their Holborn Circus checkout-free convenience store powered by our Just Walk Out technology. We’re excited to bring Just Walk Out technology to our first customer internationally with Sainsbury’s. With no tills, no checkout lanes, and no self-service scanners, we can’t wait to hear how busy Londoners enjoy the experience.”
Clo and Dilip, here’s your answer. As far as I could see through the locked door, your smartshop was empty.
Henry If you try to buy a pension the “Sainsbury Experience” is compulsory ask any adviser, para planner, report writer, compliance officer or Ombusdman.
Hello Henry,
Eight years ago Sainbury’s Eltham introduced Self-Service checkouts. At first sight I felt sorry for the staff believing it to be their ‘writing on the wall’. Unfortunately for me, the software then was still in its trialling stage…! On one occasion the Security Officer advised me that if I didn’t stop swearing at the checkout, he would have to ban me. The checkouts now keep advising me to shop online. No doubt the ‘red braces’ then were issuing Press releases reportedly from the Eltham Store Manager etc.
Nothing is new…
Kind regards,
Tm Simpson