House of Fraser to roll out queue-busting technology

The retailer will install the virtual queuing system, which was piloted at its London City store last year, in 15 further shops in the first quarter. It intends to roll out the technology to the rest of the estate by the end of the year.

The system allows shoppers to check-in via a self-service kiosk as they enter the store. Shoppers then receive a text with an estimated waiting time and a link allowing them to check the progress. Customers can then shop the store or enjoy a coffee rather than wait in a queue.

House of Fraser’s Buy & Collect service has surged in popularity. Some stores experienced up to 200 customers an hour picking up parcels during peak trading, leading to queues building.

It is understood that House of Fraser is also seeking to implement RFID in its collection area to help speed up finding parcels.

The retailer has established itself as an innovator in multichannel, with initiatives such as its Buy & Collect-only stores and same-day and evening deliveries. Online sales soared 57.7% at the group over peak Christmas trading.

The grocers are also looking to reduce queuing times in their stores. 

Asda has tested 360-degree laser checkout scanners as part of its Rapid Scan Till at its York store. It said the till had increased the speed of checkout by 300%.