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When will the Champaign Sam’s Club switch to the new ‘seamless exit’ process?

In January, Sam’s Club announced that shoppers would no longer hand off receipts to an employee at the door to verify their purchases.

Instead, artificial intelligence and computer vision technology will do the job.

Haley Maxwell, senior manager for global communications at Sam’s Club, wasn’t able to provide a specific date, but said that this new tech would roll out in Illinois this fall.

Sam’s Club tested the “seamless exit” technology at 10 pilot locations before deciding to establish it nationally.

The Jan. 9 announcement said that Sam’s Club customers consistently list waiting to exit stores as a “pain point,” especially during busy periods.

After customers check out, they will exit under an archway with overhead cameras through which “a combination of computer vision and digital technology deployed in the exit area of the club” captures images of every cart.

Artificial intelligence will identify and count items in the carts to confirm that each one has been properly scanned and paid for.

The company said it plans to continue enhancing the tech through the beginning of 2024 as it prepares to install it nationwide.