Dominick Reuter/Business Insider
- Walmart shoppers can now use the app to activate a flashing light to help locate items on shelves.
- The feature is part of the company’s rollout of digital price tags in its US stores.
- While the tags stirred controversy, CEO John Furner pledged there will be no personalized pricing.
If you’ve ever spent more than five minutes scrutinizing the spice options at the grocery store, Walmart has some exciting news for you.
The retail giant said Thursday that shoppers can now use their mobile app while browsing in-store to activate a flashing light that helps locate items on shelves.
The feature has been available for employees and Spark delivery drivers over the past several months, and is built into the new digital price tags appearing in Walmart’s US stores for the past year.
With the Walmart app — and its AI shopping assistant, Sparky — customers can search for the exact item they want and tap a button on the product listing page to activate a little green light in the aisle where they’re standing.
Dominick Reuter/Business Insider
Business Insider saw the tech in action during a store tour in April, and a Spark driver said it has helped her fulfill delivery orders faster.
The lights are also used by store employees to more quickly and accurately re-stock shelves, the company said.
This aspect of the digital price tag technology has garnered less attention so far than the question of whether the miniature displays would be used to change prices more dynamically.
Last week, CEO John Furner pledged that the company will never set prices based on the time of day or who’s shopping, and that there will be no “personalized price” at Walmart.
Walmart says all maximum display prices are set centrally at its headquarters, while store managers have discretion to offer certain discounts to remain competitive in their markets.
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