On the company’s fiscal third-quarter earnings call, CEO Ron Vachris said the company has been quietly testing technology that would allow customers to use their phones to scan items and pay, bypassing checkout lines and improving the speed at which customers can complete their purchases.
“We’ve also engaged in some ‘Scan & Go done by Costco’ kind of tests that we’re doing out there that have been extremely successful of moving people through the lines and expediting the transactions,” Vachris said on the earnings call. “We’ve seen some very, very early results that have been very positive and great adoption from our members—seeing that as well.”
Costco did not immediately respond to Fortune‘s request for comment.
Customers have long complained about the warehouse club’s lackluster digital services and the fact it doesn’t offer the scanning technology Sam’s Club has developed for more than a decade. Now, Costco is apparently embracing the idea with “several new technology pilots,” Vachris said.
More than half of Costco members have downloaded the company’s app, and chief financial officer Gary Millerchip sees the company’s foray into “Scan & Pay” tech as a growth area for the company.
“We still think there’s plenty of opportunity to keep driving higher penetration of digital engagement with our members and we think it’s got a runway to continue to grow in the future,” Millerchip said on the earnings call.
