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After completing a nine-month initial test, two ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey already have RFID-enabled shopping carts. MediaCart is conducting the second phase of a larger test, the purpose is to combine more features to help shoppers save time and money.
MediaCart’s product is a standard battery-powered video display and a ThingMagic EPC Gen 2 RFID reader shopping cart. In the first phase of the trial, Avery Dennison passive EPC Gen 2 RFID tags were installed on store shelves. When the customer pushes the shopping cart through the aisle next to the shelf, the reader reads the ID of the tag and transmits it to the MediaCart software via the Wi-Fi network. The software based on the Microsoft Windows CE operating system searches the SQL Server database to determine the products on this shelf. According to the data found, the software sends instructions to the shopping cart to cooperate with the shopper’s approaching products to play their video advertisements on the AD server. For example, when customers pass the area where cookies are placed and approach Nabisco products, Oreo’s promotional advertisements will be shown on the screen.
The MediaCart system uses RFID to locate customers and display product information on the display
According to Microsoft, the second phase of testing will be conducted in the same two ShopRite stores and is expected to start in the second half of 2008. In addition to having the functions in the first trial, this trial will enable the customer to start his personalized experience. This new shopping method allows customers to upload a shopping list through the ShopRite website at home, scan the barcode of the consumer’s ShopRite membership card through the barcode reader on the shopping cart, and upload the shopping list to the shopping cart’s display screen. The shopping list will be marked in the form of a store map, and the products that need to be purchased will be arranged by the number of the channel, so that customers can continuously find the products they need without turning back.
Once the customer logs in to the system through the shopping cart, the video on the display screen will be selectively played according to their shopping history. For example, a customer who buys oatmeal frequently may be notified of new oatmeal promotions and give away electronic coupons. (A Microsoft spokesperson said that it has not yet considered how to redeem this electronic coupon.) Customers can also use a barcode reader to scan each purchased item, and the display will show the total amount of consumption. In the future, as RFID tags replace bar codes on single products, the RFID reader on the shopping cart will read the product tags to complete this task.
According to the current report, MediaCart has collected a lot of feedback from customers and ShopRite on the first phase of the test, and is planning the second phase of the test based on these opinions.
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