New Wave of Local and Independent Grocers Adopt Instacart Caper Carts
Instacart today announced that multiple local and independent grocers, including Bowman’s Market, Maurer’s Market IGA, Neiman’s Family Market, Queen’s Price Chopper and Soelbergs Market are adopting Caper Carts, Instacart’s AI-powered smart carts, across their stores. This move signifies a growing trend among independent grocers to embrace and integrate technology that enhances and makes the grocery shopping experience more delightful for their customers.
Customers shopping in these stores – which operate across Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington – can now enjoy a more personalized shopping experience using Caper Carts. Caper 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, they are able to watch their running cost total – similar to an online shopping cart.
“We’re always looking for new ways to improve the shopping experience for our community and the Caper Carts are a fantastic solution,” said David Cook, Chief Financial Officer of Bowman’s. “These carts not only make it easier and faster for our customers to shop but also allow us to continue providing the friendly, hands-on service that makes our store unique.”
“Neiman’s Family Market has been a fixture in our Michigan communities for more than 40 years, and we’ve always believed in combining tradition with innovation,” said Bryan Neiman, President and CEO of Neiman’s Family Market. “Introducing Instacart’s Caper Carts in our stores is our way of honoring our family’s legacy of exceptional customer service. These smart carts will help us create a more personalized and efficient shopping experience, allowing us to better serve the families who have been shopping with us for generations.”
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 – so the more they shop, the more they can save. 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. These carts are an absolute hit with customers, helping local independent grocers solidify their place in the hearts and minds of the communities they serve.”
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.
To learn more about Connected Stores, visit Instacart.