System and method of initiating in-trip audits in a self-checkout system

A computer-implemented method of providing an in-trip audit in a self-checkout system, comprising:

• receiving, by a computer, an indication that a customer has initiated a shopping trip;
• receiving, by the computer, an indication during the shopping trip that a self-scanning device associated with the customer has received at least two scans;
• identifying, by the computer, audit parameters based on the received at least two scans from the self-scanning device, the audit parameters comprising a determined length of time between the at least two scans during the shopping trip, and a basket size comprising a number of items associated with the at least two scans and a value of the items associated with the at least two scans;
• calculating, by the computer and based on the audit parameters, an audit score for the shopping trip of the customer indicative of whether an in-trip audit should occur;
• comparing, by the computer, the audit score to a predefined audit threshold;
• determining, by the computer, after receiving the audit parameters and during or prior to checkout by the customer, whether the in-trip audit should occur based on the comparison, prior audit history of previous shopping trips of the customer stored in an audit database, and a probability value for the in-trip audit occurring that is based on a number of audit points associated with the customer, wherein the number of audit points is based on the audit parameters and adjusted to increase or decrease the probability value based on the audit parameters;
• instructing, by the computer, the self-scanning device to provide, when a checkout is initiated for the customer indicating a completion of the shopping trip, an encoded identifier in a barcode comprising both an indication of whether the in-trip audit should occur based on the probability, and an identification of the items associated with the at least two scans;
• and
• storing, in the audit database, by the computer, the indication of whether the in-trip audit should occur as a reference in determining whether a subsequent in-trip audit should occur.