Several Independent Grocers Roll Out Instacart's Caper Carts
Several independent grocers are embracing the high-tech Caper Carts offered by Instacart in an effort to ease the shopping process for their customers.
Bowman's Market, Maurer's Market IGA, Neiman's Family Market, Queen's Price Chopper and Soelbergs Market are among the grocers that will be using the AI-powered smart carts.
Customers shopping in these stores — which operate across Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington — will have access to Caper Carts. The shopping carts are equipped with cameras, sensors, and a built-in scale, which work together with an Edge AI system to automatically recognize items as they are placed in the cart. Once added, shoppers are able to watch their running cost total – similar to an online shopping cart.
Caper Carts also feature an interactive screen that tracks spending, provides access to deals, and offers product recommendations based on the customer's location in the store and the carts' contents. Integrated with retailers' existing loyalty programs, Caper Carts allow customers to access personalized promotions and rewards throughout their shopping journey – delivering additional value along the way.
The carts reward shoppers with automatic discounts, including digital coupons, as their basket value grows. At the end of their shopping, customers can checkout directly from the cart.
"Over the past year, we've seen a wave of innovative, independent grocers adopting Caper Carts," said Nick Nickitas, general manager, Local Independent Grocery at Instacart. "Caper Carts are enhancing the in-store grocery shopping experience by boosting sales, increasing the visibility of promotions and affordability, and creating new advertising opportunities for retailers through the engaging digital screen."
Caper Carts is part of Instacart's Connected Stores suite of technologies, including Storefront, Carrot Ads, Eversight, Carrot Tags and more, designed to bridge the online and in-store shopping experience for both retailers and customers.
