Ernster, Luxembourg´s largest book retailer, recently implemented a ‘Scan2Order’ mobile shopping feature in all its outlets which enables customers to shop in-store but by-pass the check-out queue.

The festive shopping season is with us, and for many people, the excitement of the crowds and the thrill of the seasonal displays is an essential part of the Christmas experience. However, most of us would agree that the long queues – both at check-outs and ATM machines – are a definite downside to this experience

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With ERNSTER’s Scan2Order feature, shoppers can still browse the shelves and flick through the latest bestsellers, but instead of then waiting in a queue, they simply scan a QR code with their smartphone, confirm the purchase, and have their books delivered direct to their doorstep. The QR codes are printed on promotional materials around the store and in the shop windows, which means that customers can even make purchases after closing time.

Scan2Order is powered by cross-channel payment solution Yapital, which enables shoppers to point-and-purchase directly from advertising media such as bus stop posters, newspaper/magazine advertisements or product catalogues. Fernand Ernster, Director of Ernster, comments, “Partnering with Yapital allows us to take a whole new approach to marketing. Scan2Order closes the gap between wanting a book and actually buying it – it changes the very nature of the in-store shopping experience and turns our display windows into points-of-sale, even after store hours.”

Features such as Scan2Order are proving popular with retailers because they combine the physical experience of in-store shopping with the immediacy of the online world. All the pleasures of a shopping trip are retained while the hassle of the buying process is removed.

Niels Lohmüller, Executive Vice President Business Development at Yapital, added, “People have become accustomed to one-click purchasing online, so why not bring this capability into the real world as well? Features such as Scan2Order potentially turn any physical medium you like into a place where instant transactions can occur, whether in-store, on the page, or in the street. It’s a revolutionary concept.”