1)
Smartphone
scanners
2)
Opportunity: A vast
majority of working Americans get off of work at 5pm. This mass exodus of
individuals is what causes rush hour. This is also the only time that most
people are able to go to the grocery store, or during the weekend. As a result,
grocery stores also experience rush hours during the early evening on weekdays
and during the weekends. If you have ever been to the grocery store during
these times, checkout lines can be extremely long and frustrating. I see an
opportunity to have extra grocery store employees checkout individuals via
smartphone scanners or even possibly having an app for the customer to scan it
themselves as they put the item from the shelf to their cart. This reduces wait
times and frustration levels during a time where everyone is just trying to get
home.
-
Who: Grocery store
consumers
-
What: Unable to
efficiently check out customers during peak hours
-
Why: Not enough
employees at the grocery store or unable to design a secure scanning app
3)
Hypothesis:
-
Testing the who:
a. All grocery store customers would like to get in
and out as fast as possible.
b. Quicker check out lines may also entice
customers to come in more often as they will not view going to the grocery
store as a “burden.”
-
Testing the what:
a. Major grocery store chains are the ones that
would benefit the most from this opportunity. Smaller stores often do not get
as many customers and checkout lines are not an issue.
-
Testing the why:
a. Individuals go to the grocery store because they
have plans outside if the grocery store. Having customers wait in line is not a
good business practice, especially if it can be reduced for minimal cost.
c. This article shows that customers are willing to
switch grocery stores if it means they will be checking out faster.
4)
Interview summary:
a. All 5 of my interviewees agreed that a faster
checkout will make their grocery shopping experience much more enjoyable.
b. Several interviewees also mentioned that they
would be willing to make more small trips to the grocery store, rather than a
weekly trip. This way they could enjoy fresher produce.
c. All 5 of my interviewees preferred the app idea
where the customer can scan the barcode as they shop. This way they can walk
out of the grocery store when they are done.
i. One suggested having several employees near the
exit checking to ensure that the customers actually paid for their food as
stealing could become an issue with this idea. The employee can randomly scan
one of the customers items and see if they actually paid for it.
d. One interviewee said that the idea with
additional employees having mobile scanners would be hectic because there would
not be a designated checkout lane for them.
Hi, Shannon:
ReplyDeleteVery cool read . . . I was completely unfamiliar with this technology! I totally agree this would be a far more efficient way for people to checkout. Not only would this be more efficient during the heavily populated hours, but this would help make things run more smoothly on a day-to-day basis. I certainly agree with your interviewees that said they'd rather make several small trips to the store - resulting in fresher produce. This technology you're exploring would encourage me to go to grocery shopping more often, as it would be easier and more efficient.
Hi Shannon,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading about your opportunity. I think the idea of using smartphones as scanners for grocery stores is a great, cost-effective idea that can benefit both the consumer and store. I can relate that it is very frustrating to wait in long lines after spending a good amount of time looking for your appropriate groceries. Overall, this is a good idea that I could see stores implementing soon.
Hey Shannon,
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea. I cannot say I have ever heard of that scanner being used in grocery stores before I read your post, but it seems like a compelling concept. Grocery stores being crowded is a universal problem, but it definitely seems like a major issue at UF, especially at the grocery store on 13th in the village market. Thanks for sharing, seems like a very practical solution.
Hey Shannon,
ReplyDeleteYour post was very informational and I am happy that I am not the only one that gets upset with the long lines at grocery stores. I believe your solution with the smartphone scanner is brilliant. The only drawback would be for customers that do not have smartphones. However, this was a great post and I hope to read more of your posts soon!