Shopping in the Future
Posted January 15th, 2008 by Mihnea Boiangiu
I don’t know how many of us would like supervised shopping, but it’s happening. MediaCart, Microsoft Corp. and Wakefern Food Corporation announced they will introduce the digitalized shopping cart in East Coast stores. At the beginning it will be a test, then the MediaCart will enter in every shop.
The MediaCart has developed an “intelligent” shopping cart, which is able to do all the shopping for you. The customers need to introduce a list with products on a website. When they get in the store they introduce a PIN on cart’s screen and it will download automatically their shopping list. Then the cart will guide them through the store to accomplish the mission. When a product is scanned, it is also deleted from the list. The intelligent cart can also calculate the total amount you need to pay, without spending additional time at the pay desk.
This new shopping cart opens new advertising possibilities. Thus, Microsoft has entered the business. On cart’s display they can deliver personalized ads for each customer. Think about! You introduce a shopping list. When you get into the store they could suggest you what to buy. That would be a great advantage for the store and for powerful trademarks. For example you need toothpaste, you want one that is well known. The cart could suggest you to try “the new Colgate SuperWhite” or “the colored Aquafresh” even you prefer “Blend-a-med”. And that is not all. In my opinion this gadget cart will invade our privacy.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=vFOiixWihvQ[/youtube]
Evolution, progress or is just the Big Brother?
