I probably missed something, but it sounds like one of
Safeway's more ingenious deployments allowed people to
just walk out of the story without paying for most of the items
in their basket. I guess this could work if you periodically
spot-check random shoppers and check their Palm against
the basket contents. It might be much cheaper to pay
two security guards than seven cash-register operators.
Personally, I'd find this quite alienating though.
Anyway, this is the corporate-mediated approach, which is
understandable, but ultimately not going to fly. (IMHO).
Let me say it again: barcode on your mobile phone won't
take off until it's (a) cheap and built in, and (b) under
your own control as an input mode -- i.e., basically
just a way to enter digits besides the keypad.
And again: retailers will hate this, but will be forced, by
consumers, to p[ermit it in the long run. So I predict.
-michael turner
leap@gol.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Governor" <jgovernor@illuminata.com>
To: <keitai-l@appelsiini.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2002 4:13 AM
Subject: (keitai-l) Re: iAppli for grocery shopping/barcodes - Retail
example in the UK. not a keitai
>
> 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.
>
>
>
> This mail was sent to address leap@gol.com
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>
>
Received on Wed Feb 13 07:59:47 2002