AWG, Instacart Partner on Ecommerce, Smart Carts
Associated Wholesale Grocers and Instacart recently expanded their partnership to offer ecommerce solutions and AI-powered smart carts, called Caper Carts, to more AWG-member retailers.
With more than 800 AWG member retailer locations currently using Instacart, this extended collaboration provides access to an additional 2,300 storefronts, said Instacart.
Instacart and AWG are working to help retailers set up online shopping and delivery services. Once the grocer is live on Instacart, customers can use the platform’s website or app to shop the supermarket digitally and schedule orders for delivery.
“Our joint effort with AWG is more than a partnership; it’s a dedicated effort to empower independently-owned grocers to navigate the digital landscape,” said Nick Nickitas, general manager of local independent grocery at Instacart, in a statement. “Through this collaboration, AWG’s retailers now have access to convenient, cost-effective solutions that allow them to easily bring their stores to their customers’ doors. We’re excited about what we can achieve together.”
Instacart will also equip retailers with in-store technology solutions like Caper Carts, which use computer vision and AI to automatically identify items placed in the cart. Once AWG members deploy these smart carts, customers will be able to bag items as they shop and make payments from anywhere in the store.
Customers will also be able to link their loyalty account to the carts, gaining access to personalized promotions and savings as they shop, said Instacart.
“We’ve witnessed the tremendous value Instacart brings to many of our local independent grocers, making innovation, growth, and deeper customer engagement possible. That’s why we’re partnering to streamline access to the technology and service our retail partners need to grow via a proven ecommerce offering,” said Shelly Moore, chief information officer of AWG, in a statement. “By partnering with Instacart, we’re making it even easier for our member retailers to bring the convenience of ecommerce to life and ultimately drive business growth.”