Scan It! while you shop

There's definitely something empowering and convenient about being in control of your own food at the supermarket. Last year, at a Stop and Shop blogger event, I learned of their "Scan It" station where not only could you bag your own groceries, but you can scan the food and keep track of purchases (especially if you have a  tendency to impulse shop like me). I finally tried it out a few months ago and I'm completely hooked. If you don't know what the "Scan It" system is, think of it like setting up your bridal and baby registry only YOU have to pay for the items at the end. Speaking of paying-you follow a 2-step scanning process at a regular or self-checkout line.


The "Scan It" stations are located at the entrance of each Stop and Shop store and include some very simple instructions.  Besides the convenience, the "Scan It" system yields numerous benefits for shoppers both going solo or with a children:

• Track your purchases: Most of us have a budget in mind when grocery shopping. With Scan-it, you can keep track of your total while your shop. If you find that you're going over, you can remove items with a simple click and scan. 
• Bag your own groceries: If you are like me and prefer to bag groceries your own way, you'll like this system. As you enter the store, the "Scan It" station has paper and plastic bags to choose.  You can always go back for more if you need, but I always grab extras just in case.
• Receive deli alerts: My Stop and Shop in Kendall Park/Franklin Twp has a deli counter kiosk where you can type in your order and keep shopping while it is prepared. When your order is up, a text message will be sent to the Scan-It gun just in case you didn't remember your number as it was called over the loudspeaker. 
• Receive exclusive specials: Weekly specials are available at your fingertips and automatically apply discounts when you scan the items.
• Math lesson with the kids: The supermarket is like one big math game.  There is so much you can do with your kids to build their basic math skills like addition, substraction and estimation.  Use the "Scan It" to play a guessing game for each time you either add or remove an item. Let kids see the current total and the price of the item and then guess the new total.
• Let the kids help: Sometimes you have to pick up multiple items in one aisle. Let the kids run, grab and scan. But rotate aisles with the kids otherwise, you'll have them fighting over the gun. 

If you want to give "Scan It" a try, head over to one of these New Jersey Stop and Shop locations: 

Franklin Township

Matawan

Somerset (940 Easton Ave.)

Tom’s River

Clifton (160 Kindsland Road)

Howell

Hackensack

Wycoff

Dumont

Carlstadt

Teaneck

Union

Bayonne

Raritan

Flemington

Jackson

Wayne

Morris Plains

Somerset (1221 Route #27)

Clifton (1189 Broad Street)

Madison