Wegmans was right to pull its scan and go mobile app. Here’s why
American supermarket chain, Wegmans Food Markets, pulled its in-store scan and go app on Sunday, 18th September.
The company told customers about the move in an email.
“SCAN users have told us they love the app and the convenience it offers. We love it too and have tried many adjustments to keep it,” said CEO Colleen Wegman.
“Unfortunately, the losses we are experiencing from this programme prevent us from continuing to make it available in its current state.”
“We’ve learned a lot and we will continue to introduce new digital solutions to streamline your shopping experience for the future.”
It’s a wise move, according to Brendan Witcher, VP & Principal Analyst, Digital Business Strategy, Forrester Research.
In a LinkedIn post, Witcher said: “As Nelson Mandela once said, "I never lose. I either win or learn." You may find this odd, but I applaud this move by Wegmans.”
“Why? Because the three mistakes companies make when investing in something new and innovative are 1) bake the initiative so deep into their business model that what's been done can never be undone, 2) fail to set up metrics to assess total business impact, and 3) continue the initiative out of pride even though it makes no business sense.”
He concluded: “Wegmans, on the other hand, approached and executed this correctly from start to finish. "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." - Winston Churchill.”
The Wegmans SCAN app launched in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. It allowed users to scan barcodes and pay for items quicker at self-checkouts.
