RTIH tested Argos’s first ‘self-service digital store’. Here’s our verdict

Earlier this week, we reported that Argos had opened its first self-service store, in Dulwich, London.

Customers can pay at the same tablet they use to browse the retailer’s catalogue’s 20,000 products, before picking up their order at collection pods. Argos says that this frees up staff to help people at the Pay@Browse areas and bring products to collection pods. The aforementioned areas also include tills for those wishing to pay with cash or cards.

RTIH’s HQ is only a few minutes away from the store, so we decided to check it out. Firstly, signage directing customers to it could be significantly improved. It is flagged up in the main entrance, via an uninspired cardboard sign and pull up poster, alongside a pile of catalogues because, hey, paper still rules, apparently.

But after that you’re left to your own devices. Unfortunately, there were very few Sainsbury’s staff on hand when we visited, so we ended up going to the wrong end of the store. Eventually we found it at the other end, tucked away in the back.

It was also an, erm, interesting decision to situate it next to a Sainsbury’s section featuring kettles, toasters, vacuum cleaners, headphones etc. You know, all the stuff you associate with Argos.

Still, the tablets worked well (there was also a laminated catalogue on hand for the old school among us). We quickly found the item we were looking for and payment and collection went smoothly. Overall, an improvement on the old way of doing things, even if ‘digital store’ might be overdoing it. We’re essentially talking about the same old Argos, but with iPads thrown in and less catalogues and staff than usual.