Commentary
Photo by iStock.com
By Rupal Shah, head of shopper research at research specialists, Simpson Carpenter
The days when shoppers spent an hour trudging around and getting lost in a giant food store (often with young kids in tow) is increasingly becoming a thing of the past. The drive toward ultra-convenience in the shopping experience now means that so much of what a shopper needs is just a click or a swipe away.
But, in truth, the retail revolution is barely getting started. With a host of technologies reaching maturity in 2019 — from robotics to augmented reality — the next phase of shopping innovation will take convenience to whole new unimaginable levels.
Here are five technologies every grocer should be watching in 2019:
Robot deliveries: Being able to go online and order food has saved shoppers a lot of energy over the last decade. But it still isn’t as fast as just popping down to your local food store to pick up what you need. However, online supermarket Ocado is beginning to change this. The retailer is piloting an automated grocery picking and packing system at one of its depots in the U.K. that can recognize products, determine the best grasp and then pack them carefully into a box. While it used to take two hours for 50 products to be placed into a box at the depot, the system allows it to be done in just five minutes. With innovations like these, online deliveries could quickly become the fastest option for shoppers.
Check-out free shopping: One of the most annoying aspects of the in-store shopping experience has always been getting stuck in long queues. But what if people were able to dodge the queue entirely? This is exactly the kind of thing that could soon be widely available. U.K. grocer Sainsbury’s is piloting a new service that allows customers to scan products using the retailer’s Smartshop app on their mobile and pay for them immediately using Apple pay. Amazon Fresh is also planning to open its own range of supermarkets in the U.K. offering this ultra-fast method of payment.
Grocers embrace AR: Augmented reality offers rich opportunities for grocers, particularly in transforming the in-store shopping experience. Tech start-up, Dent Reality, has developed a new smartphone tool that allows shoppers to view easy to read nutritional and pricing information when they hold their phone camera over a product. Augmented reality could also help to make stores far easier to navigate, saving valuable time.
Voice-activated experiences: It’s predicted that by 2022 almost half of U.K. households will own a smart speaker. The opportunities this technology offers grocers for service innovation are almost limitless. For example, many grocers publish recipes on their websites and use this to market their own products. Voice interaction offers the opportunity to do the same but with an easier, hands-free experience. Food Network created its own app called In the Kitchen, which allows people to access over 70,000 recipes from its TV chefs using only voice commands. Imagine the possibilities if a supermarket were to offer the same?
Unattended deliveries: One of the downsides of online deliveries is having to wait around for it to arrive. But a new in-home delivery service in pilot by the supermarket Waitrose, and already a success in the U.S., could change all that. The service allows customers with a smart lock to set a temporary access code via a secure app, which is sent to the driver when they arrive at the property. They then enter and put any frozen or perishable foods straight into the fridge or freezer. Once the delivery is complete and the driver has left the property, the code immediately expires.
These are just five technologies set to sweep the grocery world over the next few years. There are many more in the pipeline waiting to make the experience more fun, more seamless and a whole lot more convenient. Welcome to the brave new world of grocery shopping.
Topics: Augmented Reality, Customer Experience, Robotics / AI, Self-Checkout, Supermarkets & Grocery Stores, Technology, Trends / Statistics
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