The traditional shopping cart is getting a radical, high-tech makeover. Major supermarket chains across the country are now rolling out “smart carts.” These are shopping carts that are equipped with cameras, sensors, and a large touchscreen. The most popular feature of these carts is the ability to scan your own items and to pay directly on the cart, allowing you to skip the checkout line completely. Here is how six of the biggest players in the industry are using this new technology.
1. Kroger’s “KroGO” Carts
Kroger has been a leader in the smart cart space with its “KroGO” cart, which is powered by a technology called “Caper.” The cart uses a system of cameras and a weight-sensing scale to automatically detect the items you place inside. The large screen displays a running total of your items. It also highlights any relevant digital coupons. This creates a seamless and interactive shopping experience.
2. Amazon Fresh’s “Dash Cart”
The Amazon Dash Cart is a key part of the company’s high-tech, physical grocery stores. To use the cart, you first have to scan a QR code from your Amazon app. The cart then uses a combination of computer vision and sensors to automatically identify the items you put in. When you are done shopping, you simply walk out of the store through a special “Dash Cart Lane,” and your Amazon account is automatically charged.
3. Albertsons’ Smart Carts
The Albertsons family of stores, which includes Safeway and Vons, has also been testing the Caper-powered smart cart in some of its locations. The cart allows customers to scan their own items as they shop. It also has a built-in scale for produce. The screen on the cart can even help you find items in the store by showing you a map of the layout.
4. Whole Foods’ Dash Carts
Following the lead of its sister store, Amazon Fresh, some Whole Foods locations have also started to deploy the Dash Cart. This is a part of Amazon’s larger effort to bring its “Just Walk Out” technology to the mainstream. The cart makes the shopping trip as fast and as frictionless as possible. This is a major change for the once-traditional organic grocer.
5. Instacart’s “Connected Cart”
The grocery delivery giant Instacart has also developed its own smart cart technology, which it calls the “Connected Cart.” This cart is designed for use by both regular customers and the company’s own professional shoppers. It can link to a customer’s online shopping list. It can also automatically scan the items as they are placed in the cart, which makes the whole shopping process much faster and more efficient.
6. Regional Chains like Fairway Market
The smart cart technology is not just for the national giants. Several smaller, regional chains are also testing the new carts. The New York-based chain Fairway Market was one of the early adopters of the Caper cart. For these smaller chains, the new technology is a way to compete with the larger companies. It allows them to offer a more modern and convenient shopping experience.
The Future of the Checkout
The rise of the smart cart is a clear sign that the traditional checkout line is on its way out. These high-tech carts offer a new level of speed and convenience that many shoppers have been craving. At the same time, however, they are also a powerful tool for surveillance and data collection. As this technology becomes more common, it will fundamentally change our relationship with the simple act of grocery shopping.
Have you ever used a smart cart at one of these stores? Do you think the convenience is worth the potential loss of privacy? Share your experience!
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