There are several companies like FreshDirect and Tesco that are reinventing the shopping experience to make grocery shopping more convenient than tedious work. Although most feel that they are not interested in the weekly trip to the supermarket, 98% of the food is still bought this way.
This may be the reason why companies are using new technologies to improve the shopping experience in traditional supermarkets. Here are some of the creative ways they do this.
Product location
With Aisle411, anyone with a cell phone can find products at retail stores. Just find the aisle location in the retail store or transfer your entire shopping list to a mobile map in your store. Allée 411 operates in hundreds of stores across the country. The best: more aimless research.
Coinstar, the maker of the ubiquitous green dealer that converts your currency into cash or gift cards, has just announced a new partnership with Seattle’s Best Coffee to launch new Ruby coffee kiosks. This year 500 machines and thousands more will be presented. As per the reports of Coinstar, The new Rubi kiosk offers an exclusive offer by grinding and making fresh whole grains in a cup throughout the day. The Rubi kiosk serves coffee and specialty drinks, such as mocha and vanilla. Milk prices start at $ 1.00.”
Many channels have launched their own mobile apps with a number of useful shopping features. With the Wegmans mobile app, for example, you can scan a MyWegmansConnect barcode on a product and automatically add it to your shopping list. It also has recipes and the ability to add ingredients directly to your list. With the MyWegmansConnect Markets mobile app, you can view the weekly newsletter, create a list, and email it to someone else. With the Android version, shoppers can use their votes to add items to the list. With the new Harris Teeter mobile app, an extended branch finder offers GPS technology and directions. Shoppers can also view their shopping lists offline and integrate them into their shopping lists online. The app even offers SMS notifications and the ability to order appetizers and meat and cheese slices at select stores.