Walgreens has debuted an experimental digital shopping experience at its newly redesigned South Loop Location.
Only two aisles remain at the 2 E. Roosevelt Road store, storing essential items like snacks and over-the-counter medicine. All other products are in an off-limits fulfillment area, only accessible to Walgreens employees.
To buy protected items, guests must place orders through in-store kiosks and wait for an employee to deliver their items at the pick-up counter. Guests will also have the option to purchase items online before arriving for in-store pickup.
Walgreens has denied speculation that the experimental new features are an anti-theft measure, claiming the changes are about customer convenience. The company has suggested that the newly implemented kiosks and self-checkout system will cut down on wait times for shoppers.
Walgreens does not plan on expanding the concept to additional locations until its effectiveness is better understood. “...At this point, we don’t want to make assumptions about anything, so we’ll keep testing, tweaking, and learning based on customer, patient, and team member feedback…”, said Walgreens chief format concepts and design officer Min Cho.
Walgreens, among other retail stores like Target and Walmart, have claimed to experience an increase in theft in recent years. According to CNN however, Walgreens' rate of merchandise lost to theft or damage decreased from 3.5% in 2022 to 2.5% in their latest quarter.
In an earnings call with investors on January 5, 2023, Walgreens chief financial officer James Kehoe stated that the company had exaggerated the impact of theft on profits. “Maybe we cried too much last year”, said Kehoe, adding that the company would be scaling back on its security budget in 2023.
These budget cuts come after Walgreens lowered its annual earnings forecast and raised its cost-cutting goal after not meeting quarterly profit expectations. Walgreens has recently announced plans to close more than 100 stores across the U.S. by August 2024.
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