MishiPay – it’s no Go, but it’s good.

A couple of days ago, the world’s largest sporting goods retailer, Decathlon, announced it’s rolling out MishiPay, a new London-based mobile self-checkout solution, across each and every one of its 81 German stores after a successful test-and-learn trial in Berlin.

MishiPay works by allowing customers to simply scan and pay for items with their phone, meaning less contact with staff and checkout terminals, and making for a quick getaway. But speaking of getaways, what about security? MishiPay automatically disables RFID security tags, allowing customers to leave without the fear of triggering the store’s alarm system, and automatically updating inventory at the same time.

It’s not quite as seamless as Amazon’s Go, since MishiPay requires scanning of each product, whereas with Amazon Go you simply grab and, well, go. But it’s still an impressive piece of retail tech, and it’s surely a lot cheaper to set up as it requires nowhere near as many cameras or as much behind-the-scenes AI.

Said Stefan Hertkor, Decathlon Deutschland leader of store digitalization, “We are always looking for innovative ways to improve the in-store experience for our customers, and we have found that they are really enjoying using the MishiPay app. What’s more, the solution has clear customer benefits in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic; enabling shoppers to use their own device for the entire shopping journey instead of needing to touch store hardware, and eliminating the need to wait at a checkout.”

With no need to touch anything other than your phone – and the products that take your fancy – it certainly makes for a frictionless store experience. How long until scanning and scooting is the norm? Not long, we’d bet. Check ya later, waiting in line at the checkout!