[Speed Gibson,
Friday January 18, 2008 at 9:31am]
American Ingenuity
The grocery business is highly competitive. Remember the Lund's store that had to close in Eden Prairie, whose residents preferred lower prices at Cub? But there are niche and upscale market segments out there, served by Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Simon Delivers, for example. Byerly's and Lunds now offer online/pickup shopping, and even some traditional stores like Rainbow (Roundy's) still bag your groceries.
No matter where I shop, though, I find it's still an effort I endure more than enjoy. But there's hope thanks to new technology now being piloted at Shop-Rite, CRM Smartcarts. Shop-Rite operates about 200 stores in the New York area.
The idea is that you can pre-shop on line, then via a customer loyalty card identify yourself to your shopping cart, equipped with a mobile computer that will import your shopping list. Further, it maps out the store, showing you where to find the items, perhaps helping you pick specific brands or highlighting appropriate specials or quantity discounts.
It manages electronic coupons, too, and presumably expedites checkout. Presumably, your online account could then be posted with your "as bought" results and track your annual expenses.
Whoever implements this first here will very likely get my business, even if it costs a little more.
No matter where I shop, though, I find it's still an effort I endure more than enjoy. But there's hope thanks to new technology now being piloted at Shop-Rite, CRM Smartcarts. Shop-Rite operates about 200 stores in the New York area.
The idea is that you can pre-shop on line, then via a customer loyalty card identify yourself to your shopping cart, equipped with a mobile computer that will import your shopping list. Further, it maps out the store, showing you where to find the items, perhaps helping you pick specific brands or highlighting appropriate specials or quantity discounts.
It manages electronic coupons, too, and presumably expedites checkout. Presumably, your online account could then be posted with your "as bought" results and track your annual expenses.
Whoever implements this first here will very likely get my business, even if it costs a little more.