Walmart unites Sam's Club cashier drops at new Dallas store

Walmart-owned wholesale club retailer Sam's Club is testing new technology that eliminates cashiers by allowing customers to shop via mobile phone.

The innovative concept store, dubbed Sam's Club Now, will open the door in Dallas. When leaving the store, consumers will scan a code at the exit and will be billed for their purchases.

The company said the store will work as a "innovation lab" as a typical store – serving as a test site for new ideas. At 3,200 square feet, it will be about one-quarter the size of a traditional Sam's Club rental. While Sam's Club said it is "very close" to its Dallas location, wider rollout is also expected.

Some of the technology Sam's Club is testing includes auto-filling shopping lists based on purchases, in-store navigation and map features, augmented reality and one-hour pickup for the Sam's Club app. The company says it will be able to find the best route for customers on their shopping lists.

"We're putting Sam's Club on the cutting edge of innovation in the warehouse channel. Using all available technologies – including computer vision, AR, machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics, the company said in a press release.

While cashiers will be obsolete, the company insists its associates will still be needed, as on-site "concierge[s]. "

E-commerce giant Amazon has initiated a push towards cashier-less stores, as it seeks to make the traditional shopping experience quicker and more efficient. Amazon has opened a few "Amazon Go" stores – a grocery store complete with mobile-only shopping.

Meanwhile, Sam's Walmart's parent club is expanding "Scan & Go" services to its locations, allowing customers to bypass the shopping line. Similarly, Kroger has a "Scan, Bag & Go" technology.