Dive Brief:
- Instacart has inked deals with a pair of point-of-sale equipment suppliers to provide the grocery technology company’s Caper Cart smart carts to independent grocery and convenience stores, according to a Monday press release.
- Under the partnerships, Dumac Business Systems and Truno Retail Technology Solutions will implement, maintain and provide technical support for the carts, Instacart said.
- Instacart has pointed to smart carts as a central growth driver and taken steps in recent months to bring the artificial intelligence-powered devices to more retail locations.
Dive Insight:
Instacart said its decision to work with third-party technology suppliers to expand the use of its Caper Carts is intended to create “a streamlined path for grocers to bring smart carts to their stores.”
The arrangements with Dumac and Truno follow Instacart’s announcement in November that it had struck deals with several local and independent retailers to bring Caper Carts to their stores. The company entered the smart cart business in 2021 through its $350 million purchase of Caper AI and has made the gear available to grocers through its Connected Stores initiative, which it launched in September 2022.
“By teaming up with established POS leaders like DUMAC and TRUNO, we’re making it easier than ever for grocers of all sizes to partner with Instacart, unlocking a modern shopping experience with Caper Carts while serving their communities,” Nick Nickitas, general manager of local independent grocery for Instacart, said in a statement.
Instacart CEO Fidji Simo said last year that the company was looking to smart carts as a way to help it build its business and had noticed that shoppers sometimes seek “out stores with our carts even if they’ve never shopped there before.”
Rory McCarthy, chief operating officer of Dumac, said in a statement that the company, which helped Geissler’s Supermarkets bring Caper Carts to its stores, found that the units help retailers grow baskets and boost affordability by delivering personalized experiences to shoppers.
The arrangements will also help independent retailers gain access to other technologies Instacart offers, including its FoodStorm catering software and Carrot Tag electronic shelf labels, Instacart said.
Instacart brought new features to the carts last fall, including location-based coupons, gamification capabilities and “aisle-aware” advertising formats.
