Woolworths to bust shopper queues with app showing queue, wait times
As panic-buyers flock back to supermarkets, Woolworths has unveiled a new feature that will combat spikes in customer traffic and bust long queue times. This is how it will work.
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Woolworths is rolling out a new online shopping tool to help combat spikes in customer traffic at supermarkets and better manage queues caused by coronavirus restrictions.
For the first time, customers will be able to view real-time data on shopping activity, telling them if there are queues to enter their local supermarket and how long those queues are.
It will also allow customers to book a time for entry to some supermarkets. The booking functionality is only available for now at four stores in Melbourne — at Taylors Lakes, Hampton Park, South Melbourne and St Helena.
Woolworths first applied for a trademark for its new technology, called Q-Tracker, in May, at the height of the first COVID-19 wave.
The grocer is now rolling out the application in parts of Melbourne.
It is one of the latest pieces of technology to be used by retailers as they struggle to maintain smooth flows of customers through stores while also adhering to social distancing guidelines.
Q-Tracker uses real-time data to show the lengths and waiting times of any queues outside stores, with customers able to search their preferred stores by postcode or suburb.
Woolworths shoppers will also have access to an overview by store, which shows the peak times for customers entering throughout the week.
The traffic data is updated every five minutes during opening hours.
Late in June, Woolworths also started trialling Google Business Messages to help with customer service.
The tool allows customers to search for products and see availability and aisle information, and get details about trading hours and COVID-19 related updates.
Woolworths director of stores Robert Moffat said Q-Tracker would help show customers whether stores had queues because of social distancing requirements, and any waiting times, allowing them to avoid busy periods.
“Even though most of our stores do not need to implement queuing (for entry) at the moment, this tool has been developed as another measure to support the safety of our team and customers,” he said.
Separately on Wednesday, the competition regulator said it would allow the nation’s supermarket operators to continue working together until March next year to ensure the continued supply of groceries during the pandemic.
Amid widespread stockpiling by consumers early in the pandemic, during March, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission announced Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and other approved grocery retailers could co-ordinate some activities.
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— The Australian