FWIW: Safeway in the UK (a different org from the US Safeway) ran a
trial with customers that were already members of its existing loyalty
scheme.
These customers would use Palm Pilot and scan the items they selected as
they shopped. When they were done they could jump the queue, and the
final payment was based on what was in the palm, rather than what was in
the basket itself.
Not sure what the end results were, but the fact it wasn't rolled out
more widely indicates there were problems with the scheme. Haven't
looked at this closely recently. The last posting was in 1999 though
(see below, from www.safeway.co.uk), so perhaps all this petered out.
I am pretty sure Mike Winch, then CIO, left the firm in 99/00 timeframe.
Maybe the projects died when he left - he coulda been the sponsor
Easi-Order [01/02/99]
Safeway and IBM 'Easi-Order' shopping service goes live!
Customers will today begin using Safeway's revolutionary 'Easi-Order'
portable shopping devices, which allow shoppers to pre-select their
weekly groceries anytime, anywhere. Developed with IBM, this innovative
personalised service aims to make on-line shopping even easier.
Safeway has received hundreds of enquiries from customers interested in
participating in this exciting new pilot. To begin with Safeway is
inviting 200 regular users of its Basingstoke superstore's Collect & Go
home ordering service. In the coming weeks, each of these participants
will receive individual training on operating their Easi-Order unit
during a phased roll-out.=20
This pioneering IBM technology - the first of its kind in the world -
enables Safeway to download into the units personalised grocery lists
compiled from past purchases made using ABC loyalty cards. This
'intelligent' software makes suggestions about purchases as well as
sending customers individual promotions and new product details.
When the Easi-Order is connected to a phone line, it links to a central
computer and the order is sent to the store. The store staff pick and
pack the groceries ready for collection on the day and time specified by
the customer.
Safeway can already adapt this leading-edge technology - unmatched by
any other UK retailer - to other hand-held personal computers on the
market and in the longer term could make it available through digital
TVs and mobile phones.
Easi-Order units are PalmPilots specially designed for Safeway. They are
fitted with bar code readers which, in the future, will allow customers
to self-scan the products themselves at home or in-store, including
those sold by competitors. They also double up as fully-functional
personal organisers.
Mike Winch, Safeway's IT Director comments: "We were the first UK
retailer to introduce self-scanning in 1995 through our Shop & Go system
and now over 20% of our customers use it regularly. The Easi-Order
device is a natural extension to the existing Shop & Go and Collect & Go
home ordering services already regularly used by many of our customers."
"Most of our customers don't have access to the internet so we wanted to
develop a remote ordering service that was simple and easy for everyone
to use."
"Safeway has long been at the fore of deploying new technologies to
provide its customers with the best service possible, " says Noel Rees,
IBM Retail Industry Director. "This IBM pervasive computer solution
combines the power of network computing with convenient easy-to-use
hand-held devices."
A selection of Safeway's customers will today receive training on how to
use their Easi-Order unit at the Basingstoke store and will be able to
take them home. Over the coming weeks they will be asked to feedback on
their usage of the devices so that Safeway and IBM can continue to
improve the service.=20
Notes to Editors:
1. Photographs of the Easi-Order unit are available
2. Shop & Go:- Safeway, the world leader in self scanning, launched Shop
& Go in March 1995. It is now available in 160 stores across the UK.
Customers use hand- held scanners to keep a running total of the amount
they spend as they move through the store and check individual prices.
Shopping is loaded straight into plastic green boxes on special
trolleys. Payments are made at dedicated checkouts, and the green boxes
packed directly into cars, avoiding the unloading and reloading of
trolleys. Certain Safeway stores also boast Easi-Pay terminals which let
customers bypass the 'checkout' altogether.
3. Collect & Go: Launched in April 1997, this order from home service
provides ABC loyalty card customers with personalised shopping lists
drawn from past purchases. Orders are placed by telephone or fax. Store
staff select and pack the goods ready for collection at the time/day
specified by the customer. Collect & Go is available at Basingstoke
store.
Received on Tue Feb 12 21:22:26 2002