Will you pay ₦50 to skip long shopping queues? Techstars-backed Jump n Pass hopes so

Jump n Pass, a TechStars-backed startup is attempting to solve an age-old problem with physical shopping: time spent in queues. The startup’s product is a mobile self-checkout platform that allows shoppers to scan a QR code to access the store’s inventory, scan product barcodes, and pay with their phones.

“Using Jump n Pass will make checkout 90% faster,” said Tunde Ademuyiwa, co-founder and CEO of Jump n Pass. The startup charges customers a convenience fee ranging from ₦50 to ₦100 based on the total value of items bought.

Waiting is an almost inescapable part of consumer service and studies have shown that customers may leave their cart when the wait time is longer than expected. The frustration of waiting affects both customers and store owners.

“When you increase the fluidity of movement in a store, it amounts to more sales for the retailers,” Ademuyiwa explains.

Launched in November 2023, Jump n Pass has already begun rolling out its services. It has partnered with Justrite Limited, a supermarket with 26 stores across Nigeria, and it’s also looking to integrate its platform into other major supermarkets.

“Integration is necessary but complex. We are processing some supermarkets already, operations have begun in some stores like Madina Supermarket, Supersaver Supermarket and some Justrite branches already,” Ademuyiwa said.

During a visit to a Justrite branch in Bariga, a Lagos suburb, TechCabal used and saw customers using Jump n Pass at the supermarket. A poster outside the supermarket encouraged customers to scan a QR code to jump the queue. Inside, Justrite’s public address system (PA system) reiterated this message, while small postcards with QR codes were placed around the supermarket for easy access.

Justrite’s PA system walked customers through the process of using Jump n Pass to skip queues: scan the code, access the store’s inventory, scan the barcodes (Sometimes network connectivity problems occasionally disrupted the barcode scanning process), add items to the cart, process payment, make payments by transfer and receive a receipt. Customers were advised to hold onto their receipts until leaving the store.

Oyiza Edwin, the branch manager, told TechCabal that Jump n Pass had been popular among customers in two weeks while reducing cashier workload and errors. “It is faster than our regular check out and minimises errors that our cashiers might make,” she said.

Yet, she shared that the startup could improve on its current version. “Customers often complain about its lack of a card option, so we hope they can add that feature,” she said.

TechCabal observed that many customers showed curiosity about the idea of jumping the queue with Jump n Pass. Three customers expressed confusion about its purpose, while another mentioned having used it previously in the store but opted not to this time, citing the convenience fee. Another customer was seen actively using Jump n Pass, but most people continued to opt for the traditional checkout line.

At Justrite, there was no queue at the designated lane for customers who used Jump n Pass because customers only needed to confirm the items purchased instead of checking prices and processing payments, which is why queues are formed, a checkout officer explained. The checkout officer also mentioned a lower adoption rate among older customers, possibly due to unfamiliarity with the technology.

Folarin Oluwatoyin, the regional manager of Supersaver Supermarket, told TechCabal that customers have been responsive in using Jump n Pass, which has been helpful to the supermarket. “It has only been integrated into our head office at Shangisha Magodo because we are still testing it out to be sure to integrate it in our other branches,” she added.

She stated that the major problem encountered since its use in their store was network issues, but the startup’s support team was always available if there was a problem.

Ucha, a customer, shared her shopping experience at Justrite Bariga on X and with TechCabal. Upon arrival, she noticed a queue had already formed, but announcements were made to encourage customers to use Jump n Pass as an alternative.

She was charged a convenience fee of ₦100 and found the process efficient and user-friendly. The startup is yet to launch its mobile app on iOS and Android platforms and only uses a web app. “Within the next 30 days, the mobile app will be available on Android Play Store and iOS App Store,” Ademuyiwa stated.

Despite offering in-app payments, Ademuyiwa clarified that the startup does not provide payment services directly but relies on partnerships with payment solution providers and banks.