Following a successful pilot at an IGA supermarket in Snoqualmie, Wash., cloud-based mobile retail solutions company QThru has launched a new mobile platform for retailers that enables shoppers to scan items with a smartphone as they shop to speed up the checkout process.

“Given recent advancements in technology, consumers are realizing there is a better way to check out of a retail store without standing in a long line,” said Aaron Roberts, founder and CEO of QThru. “Current self-checkout stations only magnify the problem because they are slow and inefficient and create a bottleneck in the store. QThru provides a simple solution that saves time while also building customer loyalty.”

Hhere’s how the solution works: After installation, a retailer’s products and pricing are synchronized with the QThru cloud. Customers can then download the QThru smartphone app and start shopping. To complete the checkout process shoppers simply enter a previously stored passcode and scan a QR code at a checkout kiosk which completes the transaction from their phone. QThru uses a cloud-based, fully PCI-compliant, secure storage facility to protect payment and personal information. A receipt is generated from the kiosk, which is highlighted in a different color and is reviewed by a store employee at the door.

“We’ve been testing QThru for six months at the IGA Ridge Supermarket in Snoqualmie, Washington,” said Tyler Myers, president of the Myers Group, which owns the IGA store. “We wanted to see how our customers embraced this alternative technology and it was enormously popular. We plan to install QThru in our other retail locations including a hardware store. QThru also allows us to offer added value to our customers through exclusive announcements, events and coupons and we plan to install it now at all of our grocery and hardware stores.”

The cost for a retail store to integrate with QThru is free. Adding a checkout kiosk is $900 and the inclusion of a digital scale brings the price to just $5,000.

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