Five Things Your Price Scanners Should be Able to Do (Besides Price Scanning)

Price scanners have long been a feature in big-box retailers and supermarkets. These in-aisle kiosks offer a quick way for shoppers to get information on products that are missing a price or haven’t been individually labeled. Further, price scanning kiosks are required by law in some states to ensure that customers can quickly find accurate pricing information. 

In recent years, with the rise of ecommerce and the mix of brick-and-mortar and online shopping experiences, price scanners have started to evolve into something more. Price scanners now have the ability to provide customers with higher value interactions and give them important information at the point of decision. 

What was once an unsightly, single-purpose device taking up valuable floor space in retail stores is now a tool to drive sales and boost the customer experience. 

Here are five things that your price scanning kiosks should be able to do (other than just price scanning): 

1. Provide sale-clinching product information on your price scanners

Today’s shoppers are accustomed to being able to quickly browse product details to find the information they need in order to make a purchasing decision. Think of your average Amazon product page: it will include differentiating features about the product, as well as details like materials, origin, and more. 

With a tablet-based price scanning kiosk, retailers can level the playing field with ecommerce companies to provide all of the same details that might make a shopper more inclined to purchase. 

2. Show customer reviews and photos alongside price information

Sometimes holding an item in your hands isn’t enough to determine its quality. Shoppers in the age of Amazon are used to seeing star ratings and reviews with every item they add to their cart. This well-known instance of social proof gives shoppers confidence in a product. 

Retailers can mimic this process in their in-aisle price scanners by pairing reviews from their online stores with each product that is scanned at the kiosk. Star ratings and reviews boost confidence in the quality of the product, and customer-shared photos give shoppers inspiration for how they might use the product themselves. 

3. Industry-specific information

Shoppers want different information based on the types of products they’re shopping for. Retailers, therefore, will want to equip their in-aisle price scanners with the most relevant information. 

Supermarkets can provide details regarding:

• Dietary information and adherence to common diets
• Allergy information
• Recipes 
• Pairing recommendations, such as wines and chocolate

A clothing retailer might provide a different set of product details, such as:

• Fabrics used
• Where the clothing was made
• Styles and pairings
• Alternatives (if the shopper’s size isn’t available)

4. Personalized offers

Since price scanners already have integrated scanning, adding personalization to your price scanning kiosk is as simple as letting users log in with their smartphone or loyalty card. 

We’ve seen a number of retailers use QR codes to enable loyalty during the checkout process. However, it can be introduced even sooner in the buying process with the help of in-aisle price scanners equipped with personalization. 

Personalization options that retailers can provide include loyalty points, recommendations based on previous purchases or ship-to-home capabilities for out-of-stock items. 

5. Sales, promotions, and signups

Most retailers don’t think of their price scanners as lead generation tools. However, with the ability to sign up for sales and other promotions, they can be powerful tools to stay in touch with your customers. 

By offering exclusive deals and savings in exchange for a quick email sign-up, retailers that are primarily brick-and-mortar enterprises can blend their physical and digital presences. 

— 

Aila’s Interactive Kiosk is leveraged by top retailers like Big Lots, Fabletics, Rent the Runway, Stop & Shop, and more. Learn more: