CVS Will Allow Customers to Unlock Those Anti-Theft Product Cases, But There’s a Catch

If you ever shop at pharmacies, you’ve definitely run into shelves that are more like lockboxes. Stores install locking systems like these to deter theft of high-priced items like razors and baby formula. While understandable, they’re infuriating as a shopper, because it takes so much more time to actually get the product you want.

CVS just announced that it’s giving customers the ability to unlock the products they want themselves, so you won’t have to wait around for an employee to help you. It sounds like a great idea, but it’s so complicated and intrusive that many people probably won’t use it. 

Here’s how it works.

CVS locks up items to combat “shrink”, an industry term for merchandise you can’t sell, including items that have been stolen. But customers absolutely hate having to wait for an employee to come unlock products for them, so it results in selling less of those locked up items. 

So while CVS mentions customer convenience, the bottom line is that allowing customers to unlock their own items will potentially lead to more sales. Some industry experts also suspect that this is a way to encourage more people to download the company's app and develop more loyalty among shoppers.

To quote a famous line, “there’s an app for that.” CVS released a new version of its mobile app, and it includes the ability to open specific locked cabinets in stores. That means you won’t have to push the little button nearby and wait for someone to come unlock your items for you.  

Well, you have to have a smart phone in order to use the mobile app, for one. But beyond that, there are a number of other requirements in order to use the feature, too.  

• You’ll need to be a member of CVS’s loyalty program, ExtraCare. 
• You’ll need to have the latest version of the mobile app, and logged into your member account. 
• You’ll need to be connected to the store’s Wi-Fi network. 
• You’ll need to have Bluetooth enabled on your phone.  

That’s a lot, especially if you’re not particularly tech savvy, or if you have privacy concerns surrounding tech.  

Even if you’re on board with all those requirements, chances are these “smart locks” are not yet available near you. So far, they’ve only been tested at three CVS locations in New York City as part of a pilot program. 

The company plans to roll out the service to 10 locations on the West Coast early this year, according to the New York Times. Even if everything goes smoothly, chances are it’ll take a while to implement across the U.S. 

Would you consider using the new CVS smart locks?

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