Instacart offers new tech solutions for grocers
- Instacart debuted new tech solutions for grocers of all sizes across North America.
- The new services touch ad technology, its order management system, smart carts and its white-label e-commerce platform.
- It’s the latest example of Instacart’s growing role as a technology services provider.
Instacart this week debuted new technology tools for independent grocers that it says will help create a more seamless and connected consumer experience.
The services — part of Instacart’s continued and growing role as a technology services provider — include new ad technology, changes to its order management system, remote smart-cart management and changes to its white-label e-commerce offering.
- Carrot Ads: Instacart says grocers can now offer display ads to feature various CPG brands on their e-commerce platform. This is in addition to Instacart's existing sponsored product advertising platform.
- FoodStorm: Instacart's order management system is getting an upgrade — it now supports items sold by weight, like fresh food and prepared items that include deli meats and cheese, premade dishes, salads and specialty items, such as turkeys.
- Caper Cart: The smart cart from Instacart will now support remote management by a tablet. Instacart says this will give grocers a “birds-eye” video of the store, seeing in real-time how many carts are being used and what items are being purchased.
- Integrated fulfillment: Grocers that use Rosie, Instacart's white-label e-commerce solution for retailers, will now be able to use Insacart’s fulfillment services to pick, pack and deliver orders.
“At Instacart, we want to enable grocers of all sizes to grow, thrive and serve their customers, no matter how they choose to shop,” said Chris Rogers, Instacart’s chief business officer, in a release. “We’re proud to continue to expand the Instacart Platform to offer grocers new tools and technologies that help them evolve their online offering, create connected in-store experiences and develop an omnichannel strategy that supports the unique needs of their business and their customers.”
The four new Instacart Platform technologies include solutions for both in-store and online retail experiences and are available to grocers of all sizes across North America, Instacart said in a Feb. 23 release. Wholesaler Associated Food Stores and retailers New Seasons Market, Niemann Foods, The Fresh Market and Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace have already adopted the tech, Instacart says.
“Our goal is to expand and innovate our business to ensure we’re meeting our customers’ growing and evolving needs,” said Kevin Miller, CMO at The Fresh Market, in the release. “Through our partnership with Instacart, we’re able to leverage Platform technologies that have helped us seamlessly grow our e-commerce business.”
Instacart last year debuted a number of new features for its grocery partners as part of its broader Connected Stores initiative, including Scan & Pay, an upgraded Caper Cart and electronic shelf tags called Carrot Tags, Retail Leader previously reported. A grocer in New York City in February became the first to implement the Scan & Pay feature.