Despite the introduction of ALDIgo, Aldi emphasizes that customers still have the option for a familiar checkout experience. According to a spokesperson who spoke with PEOPLE, shoppers can continue to use traditional cashier lanes if they prefer.
Aldi is currently testing its new AI-powered shopping experience at a single location in Aurora, Illinois.
Following the announcement on April 19th that a Chicago Aldi would be the first to offer ALDIgo, the company has clarified to PEOPLE magazine that there are no immediate plans to roll out the cashierless shopping experience to other stores.
Developed in partnership with Grabango, a company specializing in checkout-free technology, ALDIgo is currently only up and running at the Aldi located at 2275 West Galena Boulevard in Aurora, Illinois. This location is conveniently situated about 10 miles from Aldi’s U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Illinois.
With ALDIgo, customers can shop as usual, without the hassle of checkout lines, cashiers, or manual scanning. Instead, advanced computer vision cameras and ceiling-mounted scanners keep track of the items a customer picks up. To pay, customers can simply use their credit card, debit card, or the Grabango app.
Aldi recently unveiled ALDIgo, a checkout-free shopping experience powered by Grabango technology, at a single store in the Chicago area. This pilot program reflects Aldi’s commitment to innovation and providing a top-notch customer experience.
While they’re eager to see how customers interact with the new technology, Aldi has no plans to announce expansion at this time. The good news for traditionalists? Customers at the pilot store can still opt for the familiar checkout experience with a cashier.
This concept mirrors Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, currently available at select Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market locations.
Grabango’s CEO, Will Glaser, was pretty excited about the launch of ALDIgo, according to Food and Wine Magazine. He called it a big deal for grocery stores in general. He also mentioned it was tougher to set up the system in a regular Aldi store instead of a specially built one, but they thought it was important. Glaser finished by saying he’s thrilled to be working with Aldi, a company known for being innovative in retail, and to bring this cool new shopping option to their customers.
