Product Location App in 600 Stores 2010-11-29

MICHAEL GARRY

Shoppers who need to locate products in supermarkets will increasingly be able to turn to their smart phones for the information, thanks to a new grocery app.

Last week Aisle411 announced that its free iPhone app allows shoppers to find products and access promotions in more than 600 U.S. stores. Android and Blackberry versions will be available in 2011.

Shop ‘n Save and Schnuck Markets, both based in St. Louis, and Price Cutter, Springfield, Mo., are providing Aisle411 aisle and product location data for the app, said Nathan Pettyjohn, chief executive officer, Aisle411.

The app also includes aisle and product location data on other chains based on publicly available information that Pettyjohn said is “80% to 90% accurate.” Those chains include Dominick's, Jewel Osco and Food 4 Less in Chicago; WinCo Foods and Foods Co. in Northern California; and some ShopRite and Stop & Shop stores in New York, he said.

Price Cutter has used a prior version of Aisle411 based on calling an 877 number for product location information.

With the Aisle411 app, users can locate products in stores down to the specific section of the aisle, find product reviews, manage shopping lists and organize them by aisle, share experiences with friends via social media integration, and get reward points and mobile coupons for using the service. Aisle411 has partnered with Cellfire and Coupons.com to provide digital coupons and will offer its own coupons through an arrangement with Inmar Onix, said Pettyjohn. The program is primarily CPG brand-supported, he added.

“Asle411 enhances customers' experiences with the ability to quickly find what they are looking for and then access relevant coupons and promotions to help save money,” said Marlene Gebhard, president of Shop ‘n Save, in a statement. “Aisle411 will continue to be an important part of our strategy to provide a rewarding total value shopping experience.”

“By putting information and education right into our customers hands, Aisle411 makes the shopping experience more convenient, rewarding and fun,” said Larry Maggio, director of marketing, Schnuck Markets.

Another grocery app that allows shoppers to create shopping lists and access coupons is GroceryIQ, created by Coupons.com, which is collaborating with retailers to improve the app. For example, Coupons.com is working with retailers “to get aisle information on a per-store basis” so that lists can be arranged by automatically by aisle, said Steven Horowitz, chief technology officer, Coupons.com, who discussed the app last month at the LEAD Marketing Conference in Rosemont, Ill. Meanwhile, shoppers can create their own aisle layouts for their favorite stores.

Safeway shoppers can access GroceryIQ coupons and download them to their loyalty card for easy redemption at the checkout. This feature was recently made available to shoppers at ShopRite stores operated by owners of Wakefern Food Corp, Keasbey, N.J.