Nectar Smart Shop (Sainsburys).

MoodyMand45

Anybody know how to use the Sainburys/Nectar Smartshop?

I would like to take advantage of the offer prices however i would rather use the scanners and wifi instore than using my phone as with my current phone i would be paying for using internet outside of my home.
Most of the reviews seem very bad so i'm concerned about trying it but tempted by the better prices.

pumpkin89

It's always worked fine for me - I think it will depend on how good the WiFi is in your local Sainsbury's.  There's nothing to lose by trying it 

Most Sainsbury's stores have a big bank of scanners near the entrance.  You tap the screen on any scanner to release it from its cradle and then have to scan the barcode on your Nectar card.  It will then show your Nectar prices being applied as you scan products while shopping.  There is normally a dedicated set of Self Checkout machines for SmartShop.  At the checkout you scan a barcode on the screen and it transfers the shopping from the scanner to the machine, thereafter it's the same as using a normal Self Checkout machine.

MoodyMand45

pumpkin89 said:

It's always worked fine for me - I think it will depend on how good the WiFi is in your local Sainsbury's.  There's nothing to lose by trying it 

Most Sainsbury's stores have a big bank of scanners near the entrance.  You tap the screen on any scanner to release it from its cradle and then have to scan the barcode on your Nectar card.  It will then show your Nectar prices being applied as you scan products while shopping.  There is normally a dedicated set of Self Checkout machines for SmartShop.  At the checkout you scan a barcode on the screen and it transfers the shopping from the scanner to the machine, thereafter it's the same as using a normal Self Checkout machine.

Thanks' for this, I will now try this out at the weekend!

PennyForThem_2

Sainsbury have a free to public wifi (think supplied by O2) so maybe you could still use your phone.....

pumpkin89

I've always found it difficult to use my phone for scanning, as you need the SmartShop app for that but you also need the Nectar app to show you what your personal Nectar Prices are and/or any products with bonus points offers.  I found I was constantly switching back and forth between the apps and it was very awkward.

TheBanker

pumpkin89 said:

I've always found it difficult to use my phone for scanning, as you need the SmartShop app for that but you also need the Nectar app to show you what your personal Nectar Prices are and/or any products with bonus points offers.  I found I was constantly switching back and forth between the apps and it was very awkward.

You need the Nectar app to add new Nectar offers (I get a notification once a week that they're available, but have to go into the app to actually accept them). But once you've added them you can see them through the SmartShop app by pressing the Nectar button in the bottom right. It also shows your SmartShop prices there.

lemming-11

I also use the hand-held.  I dont like relying on my phone.  A couple of things I'm still not sure of: (1) How can I input voucher barcodes, from a jpg file on my phone into the Smartshop system?  Can it be scanned by (a) the checkout screen? (b) the hand-held?  And (2) does the hand-held scanner report a running total while you're shopping?  Thanks.

Makingabobor2

Following this thread as I have been wondering about how to use it as well. 

NBLondon

lemming-11 said:

I also use the hand-held.  I dont like relying on my phone.  A couple of things I'm still not sure of: (1) How can I input voucher barcodes, from a jpg file on my phone into the Smartshop system?  Can it be scanned by (a) the checkout screen? (b) the hand-held?  And (2) does the hand-held scanner report a running total while you're shopping?  Thanks.

1) a)  - Scan them just like a paper coupon.
2)  Yes

A further note....  sometimes the offers or SmartShop prices don't appear on the handheld and don't get transferred to the checkout.   However, when you Nectar account updates (sometimes same day sometimes next day) it will detect this and put a voucher for the difference into the app for you - which you then scan at the checkout next time to get the discount.

lemming-11

Many thanks NB.  I think I'd tried brandishing my phone screen in front of the chekout screen previously, without any obvious result.  I'll try with more attention and confidence this time.  Might as well try scanning it with the handheld too, for completeness.  One of the vouchers I have is just as described in your further note, and is still waiting to be cashed in.  Rather odd, as I'd bought two of the same,item, and only one had shown up as discounted -- but it was very efficiently picked up in the overnight update.

My other voucher is for the discount on reaching a specified spend in a single shop; hence my interest in the running total. :-) 

cymruchris

I've tried it twice via my phone, and each time it invites me to connect to the provided O2 wifi - but it's a faff having to register on the wifi and receive one time passes - I thought it would just be for the first time I used it, but seems like it's every time, so I'll either go back to the old way, or possibly try the scanner. It was good to be able to see prices as I scanned to make sure they matched the shelves, and the promo prices did show up, but standing around faffing about trying to get on the wifi has put me off. I just want to connect and go.