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Instacart launches its Connected Stores program consisting of six new technologies that combine online and in-store shopping to create a personalized experience.
The program will first come to a Bristol Farms location in Irvine, California, according to the announcement (opens in new tab), with plans to expand. Before that, Instacart tested a pilot version of Connected Stores in the United States and Canada at select retailers, including Schnucks and Joseph’s Classic Market. These locations will have “connected store elements” while the rollout date is pending. However, not all stores have the full suite of features. According to an Instacart representative, it is up to the retailers themselves to decide what they want to support.
For example, the Bristol Farms in Irvine will have five of the six features. Out of Stock Insights isn’t available in that location, but it doesn’t really impact the customers as it’s more for the retailer. What it does is provide the store with “real-time alerts” when products are low or out of stock.
The rest of the suite is much more focused on helping customers with their shopping.
Connected Stores Features
The suite is led by Instacart’s enhanced Caper Cart, a smart shopping cart. It is equipped with a scale, sensors and a touchscreen above the handles, allowing shoppers to read what they have just placed in the shopping cart.
According to the video demo, (opens in new tab) placing products in the shopping cart activates the touchscreen to display the weight and price of an item. It also allows shoppers to checkout directly from the screen without having to go to a line at the front of the store. Next to the screen is a credit card reader to pay. Compared to the older model, the new Caper Cart is lighter and slimmer, while having “65 percent more capacity.”
The Caper Cart also supports the new Lists tool, which allows people to display a shopping list created in the Instacart app on the touchscreen. As you shop, the feature lets you know where to find everything on the list and lets you check off items as they’re added.
Next up is Scan & Pay, which allows shoppers to use their smartphones to scan and purchase items. The feature is not a standalone app or an upgrade to the existing Instacart app. According to Instacart, a QR code will be placed at the entrance of a store that people can scan with their phone to go to the Scan & Pay website. It also highlights products that qualify for EBT SNAP (more commonly known as food stamps) and that can be linked to Instacart accounts so that you can easily repurchase items.
Then there’s Carrot Tags, another QR code feature that will display important information about a food product on the Instacart app. Codes can be found on product tags for selected items. After scanning, the app will let you know if something is “gluten-free, organic, kosher, or EBT SNAP.”
The last instrument is the rather conventional Department Orders. It is not an app or brand new technology. Department order is just a touchscreen stage (opens in new tab) where shoppers can order food from different departments like the deli or bakery and have it ready when they pass by.
In recent years, retailers have expanded to meet an ever-changing consumer environment. Some, like Amazon, have focused on making in-store shopping more efficient. The company recently expanded its palmistry payment service to select Whole Foods locations throughout California. While other retailers like walmartare taking to the skies by delivering drone deliveries to more rural areas of the United States.
If you want to know how tech companies are adopting old ways of shopping and making new ones, TechRadar’s Hamish Hector recently wrote a story about Amazon bringing mall stores to your home. The pilot program is currently limited to 15 cities in the US.