Grabango The Just Walk Out Competitor

[Alpha8472]

I tried the Grabango technology to checkout at Chevron Extra Mile in San Ramon, California. It is a competitor technology to Amazon Just Walk Out.

I grabbed many items and put many back. I made it extremely difficult to tell what I was taking or putting back.

I ended up with a Krispy Krunchy Chicken sandwich in a branded Krispy Krunchy bag, a pack of mini donuts, and a bag of Zapp's Voodoo Chips. I opened up the Grabango app and selected checkout. The counter had a Grabango machine where I scanned the QR code on my phone. I chose on the machine to pay through the app. You could also pay via credit card.

It beeped, and the cashier said I was done.

I didn't have to wait in line. About an hour later the receipt was ready on my app. It gave me a $1 discount and discounted sales prices on some of my items.

I was impressed. This system was accurate even though I picked up and put back dozens of items.

I will definitely go back just for the $1 discount.

[Alpha8472]

I take it back. This system is flawed. I was charged for a large bag of chips when I picked up a small one.

Apparently it is not very accurate if it just goes by what each item looks like. There must be someone in a room looking at the cameras trying to figure out what you are holding.

What a rip off. It doesn't really tell you how to dispute a charge. It has an option to request a refund for each item or a general send a message to customer service on the app.

[storewanderer]

I take it back. This system is flawed. I was charged for a large bag of chips when I picked up a small one.

Apparently it is not very accurate if it just goes by what each item looks like. There must be someone in a room looking at the cameras trying to figure out what you are holding.

What a rip off. It doesn't really tell you how to dispute a charge. It has an option to request a refund for each item or a general send a message to customer service on the app.

Another joke system that has people on cameras watching you when there is supposed to be all this magic technology that senses what you took off the shelf.

Good to know but not surprising.

I went into a corporate Extra Mile in Sacramento last week but it did not appear they had this technology in place. They didn't have any self checkout either. There seemed to only be one employee on duty. Corporate Chevrons always used to have two employees.

This store had the new ugly red Extra Mile logo.

[Alpha8472]

I also noticed the lack of staffing. There was only one cashier and he was running around the store trying to help customers find items. However, there was a line and people were getting impatient.

The Krispy Krunchy Chicken counter seemed to have an employee who could not leave the chicken area. They also put up a sign saying they were at lunch so no fried chicken service even though it was just sitting around in the heated case.

They used to put the fried chicken out under heat lamps as self serve. Apparently now they don't want anyone grabbing it and not paying.

[storewanderer]

I also noticed the lack of staffing. There was only one cashier and he was running around the store trying to help customers find items. However, there was a line and people were getting impatient.

The Krispy Krunchy Chicken counter seemed to have an employee who could not leave the chicken area. They also put up a sign saying they were at lunch so no fried chicken service even though it was just sitting around in the heated case.

They used to put the fried chicken out under heat lamps as self serve. Apparently now they don't want anyone grabbing it and not paying.

No formal food service at the location I went to, just usual hot dog type items. It had the most recent Extra Mile interior. This is the interior used on the Jacksons Extra Mile units also.

I see Jacksons has an Extra Mile at 2501 Pacheco in Martinez. I wonder if this is the same as the ones in NV/ID where the signs say Extra Mile but almost everything inside says Jacksons (like soda cups, etc.). I also see Jacksons has a Shell at Appian in El Sobrante. I am not sure what happened to the Jacksons in Antioch at 1915 Auto Center Drive; it is off their locator. I see they also have an Extra Mile at 40500 Fremont Blvd in Fremont. Seems odd to have so few stores. These are divested Speedway units. I wonder if they bring their products from Idaho like Franz bread and Darigold milk/butter etc. (they do to Arizona).