MARKET WATCH
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Marsh Supermarkets Launches iBeacon for Smartphones, Apple Watch
Marsh Supermarkets has deployed a closed-loop iBeacon platform enabling shoppers with Smartphones and Apple Watch to have their favorite apps come alive in store. It is the world's first iBeacon-wearable integration at retail.
Developed by inMarket, the platform lets smartphone and wearable apps to activate at precise moments and help shoppers based on where they are. For example, a shopper might be reminded to check her shopping list app upon entering a store, or to view ingredients for a recipe she liked last week.
“iBeacons have created new ways to connect with mobile shoppers in the store, and inMarket allows us to reach many of our shoppers through the apps they love and use everyday,” said Amit Bhardwaj, Senior Director of Customer Loyalty, Marsh Supermarkets. “Now with wearable integration, shoppers who use Apple Watch will enjoy the same digitally-augmented, real-world shopping experience.”
JICC Urges Retailers to Prepare for End of UPC Barcodes on Coupons
The Joint Industry Coupon Committee (JICC) has advised retailers to get ready for the end of the traditional UPC barcode on manufacturer coupons. The UPC Prefix 5 symbol won’t be used after June 30, 2015. Manufacturers will then exclusively use the newer GS1 DataBar format to improve efficiency and reduce fraud and mis-redemption.
Most existing retail scanning systems can read the GS1 DataBar, says the JICC. To make sure the POS is ready, retailers may just need to enable the functionality in their systems. In some cases, they may need to modify software and/or hardware.
JICC says mot being able to process the GS1 Databar at checkout exposes retailers to a number of risks, including:
- Processing of expired or fraudulent coupons
- Inability of customers to use coupons at self-checkout kiosks
- Increased cashier labor and time to manually process coupons
- Reduced profitability of promotions.
The decision to move to exclusive use of the GS1 DataBar was announced in 2007, with the phase-out period for UPC Prefix 5 barcodes beginning in 2011 and concluding June 30, 2015.
JICC is administered by the Food Marketing Institute, National Grocers Association, Grocery Manufacturers Association, and National Association of Chain Drug Stores.
Tesco Launches Google Glass Enabled Service
Tesco in the U.K. is the first supermarket retailer to launch a basic version of a shopping app for Google’s Glass eyewear. The application lets shoppers using the wearable device browse products, view nutritional information, and add items to their online shopping basket hands-free to review and order by computer, tablet or mobile. Developed by Tesco Labs, the Grocery Glassware works alongside customers’ Tesco.com grocery accounts.
“We want to ensure we have the means in place to allow customers to shop whenever and however they want, which is why we’re testing the possibilities of customers topping up their online basket with Glass,” said Pablo Coberly, Innovation Engineer at Tesco Labs. “We don’t envisage Glass becoming the new platform for shopping as its functionality is different, and more immediate. Instead, it compliments other devices and integrates shopping into everyday life because products can be ordered or added as and when customers realize they need replacing.”
Lunds and Byerly’s Enhance Mobile App
Lunds Food Holdings, operator of 13 Lunds and 13 Byerly’s upscale grocery stores in the Minneapolis and St. Paul marketplace, has enhanced its mobile app by adding several customer engagement and personalization features.
The new features, part of a mobile platform from GPShopper, include:
- In-Store Skin - This brings in-store features such as circulars, store hours and events to the forefront of the mobile app when a shopper enters the store.
- My Favorite Store - Shoppers can set their favorite store location, which allows them to receive store-specific content quickly. This includes coupons, circulars, directions, events and other location-based information.
- Personalized Push Notifications - Consumers who have opted into receiving push notifications will start seeing messaging that is tailored to their preferred interests and prior in-app actions.
“Because a large number of our shoppers engage with our mobile app inside our stores, adding these features was the next logical step toward customer satisfaction,” said Dan O’Rourke, Marketing Manager at Lunds Food Holdings.
“Today’s consumer - especially the mobile shopper - demands personalized, relevant content,” said Alex Muller, CEO of GPShopper. “The Lunds and Byerly’s app update furthers their already impressive customer engagement by adding compelling features to enhance and customize the in-store experience.”
Profitero Launches Comprehensive Product Benchmarking Reports for Amazon
Amazon FastMovers reports, recently launched by Profitero, are designed to help brand manufacturers benchmark competitors’ products and sell more effectively on Amazon. Twelve key categories on Amazon US and Amazon UK are benchmarked by Profitero, a global provider of online insights and ecommerce intelligence for brands and retailers.
Amazon updates its 100 best-selling products in each category hourly. Profitero monitors these best seller lists, checking more than 4.9 million products on Amazon US and more than 2.1 million products on Amazon UK daily. Products’ performance are then analyzed to produce a cumulative ranking of best-selling products across categories including Baby, Clothing, Electronics, Grocery and Prime Pantry.
Produced monthly, Amazon FastMovers help brand manufacturers to:
- Identify strong-selling new products in their category
- Benchmark high-performing products' pricing, pack configuration, ratings & reviews, and other attributes
- Gauge the importance of participating in Amazon programs such as Subscribe & Save and Prime Pantry.
Commenting on the launch of Profitero’s Amazon FastMovers, Keith Anderson, VP Strategy & Insights at Profitero said: “It’s becoming increasingly vital for brand manufacturers to gain a deeper understanding of their online presence - and optimizing their products’ performance on Amazon is pivotal to this. Our FastMovers reports are essential reading for any brand manufacturer who wants to more accurately benchmark their competitors’ products and understand how to become a category leader on the world’s most powerful eCommerce channel - Amazon.”
Save Mart Supermarkets Now Accepts Apple Pay at Checkout
Save Mart Supermarkets is increasing its options for mobile payment at checkout with the debut of Apple Pay in all of its 217 stores throughout Northern California and Nevada. Shoppers at such banners as Lucky, Save Mart and FoodMaxx now have the option of using three smartphone digital payments: Apple Pay, Softcard and Google Wallet.
“We are working diligently to transform the shopping experience for our customers and this cutting-edge technology will help to speed them through checkout,” said Nicole Piccinini Pesco, Save Mart’s Co-President & Chief Strategy and Branding Officer. The new service “provides shoppers a secure and private way to pay for their groceries.”
When shoppers add a credit or debit card to Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, or on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on the mobile phone. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code.
In stores, Apple Pay works with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch, upon availability. Softcard (formerly Isis Mobile Wallet) is a joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon in the mobile payment space. Google Wallet allows users to store debit cards, credits cards, loyalty cards and gift cards on their mobile phones.
AFS Technologies Voted ‘Best in Class’ in Five Categories
AFS Technologies (AFS), a global provider of solutions purpose-built for consumer goods companies, has been voted into and will be recognized within several categories of the Best in Class Top List of Providers in the Annual Consumer Goods Technology (CGT) Readers’ Choice 2015.
The company is listed in the following categories: TPM, Mobility, Retail Execution, CRM and Supply Chain Planning.
“We are thrilled and honored to be recognized by our valued consumer goods clients as top providers in this very competitive and crowded marketplace, and especially in so many of the categories, ” said Kurien Jacob, AFS CEO. “Our team works very hard to provide software solutions that help our clients optimize their potential and grow their businesses. It shows our commitment in this very important and vital market.
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