CVS tries to juice app signups with cabinet unlocking feature

CVS is launching a new app today and it could address one of the more obnoxious elements of in-person drugstore shopping: locked cabinets. One way the CVS Health app can expedite the store experience is by letting select users access products behind those clear plastic panels through their phones, without asking for assistance from an employee.

This tool is being tested in just three stores for now and is only available to loyalty program members. And within those limits, shoppers will need to log into the app, join the store's Wi-Fi and enable Bluetooth on their phones to unlock cabinets on their own.

For any irritated customer who has been delayed by the clear plastic cage, or for any busy store employee called away just for their keys, the addition of a mobile tool for accessing locked cabinets sounds like a welcome idea. Tilak Mandadi, executive vice president at CVS Health, told The Wall Street Journal that the pilot program has gone well so far, and the company's next step will be expanding the feature to 10-15 stores.

The app, which is a successor to the company's CVS Pharmacy app, also includes resources for managing prescriptions and immunizations. And because it's a software product in the year 2025, CVS Health uses some artificial intelligence. The app is launching with AI-powered search options and is expected to add an AI chat tool for checking medication refills and order status later in the year.

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