Retail giant Canadian Tire announced on Wednesday that it has become the first Canadian retailer to put into market new, automated, 16-foot Self-Serve Pick-Up Towers at select locations across the country.

The locations are Calgary, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Ottawa and Toronto.

It said the Ottawa area will see two new ways to pick up online purchases with a fleet of self-serve lockers and automated check-in terminals. To use the check-in terminals, customers enter a unique PIN code on the in-store tablet, prompting store staff to bring their order directly to them. These new in-store options will make the online order pick up faster and more convenient, said Canadian Tire.

“We’re a test and learn culture and a big part of that is finding new ways to help our customers shop when they want and how they want,” said Greg Hicks, president of Canadian Tire Retail.

”We’re very excited to be the first retailer in Canada to introduce the Self-Serve Pick-Up Towers to some of our busiest stores as one more example of how we’re meeting our customers’ evolving needs.”

Mario Toneguzzi is a veteran Calgary-based journalist who worked for 35 years for the Calgary Herald, including 12 years as a senior business writer.

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