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Home > Plugged In > Archives > 2008 > January > 14 > Entry
Microsoft powers ads for digital grocery carts
First Vista, now in the produce section?
Microsoft says it’s working with Plano, Texas-based MediaCart and Wakefern Food Corp., the owner of ShopRite supermarkets, to bring targeted promotions to the next advertising frontier: your grocery cart.
MediaCart’s computerized carts, which have been tested in ShopRite stores, have a screen that allows shoppers to locate products, view specials in particular aisles, read recipes and nutritional information and use a shopping list uploaded from home.
Microsoft’s technology allows the cart screens to show ads targeted to customers when they swipe their supermarket cards. The ads and promotions are based on past purchases or the uploaded shopping list.
The companies make a point of saying the technology will be anonymous, with no identifying information shared with advertisers, MediaCart or Microsoft.
Good to know for trips down that potato chip aisle.
(Photo: MediaCart)
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By WTF?
January 14, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this
Great, and I’m sure they’ll pass the cost on to the consumer via higher grocery prices!!! Just what we need!! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By nirav
January 14, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
Maybe it can act as a scale too?
By Jason R
January 14, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this
I’m a skeptic on this duration of this technology in terms of providing returns to the buyer. Mobile technology and advertising will most likely make this advertising non-existent in a matter of months (or 1 or 2 years).
Maybe I am wrong.
JSR Zpryme Research & Consulting www.zpryme.com