- Kroger and Caper partnered to introduce a smart shopping cart offering for Kroger customers.
- This move will enable Caper to extend its reach in the autonomous checkout space.
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Kroger is partnering with smart cart-maker Caper to test KroGo, an automated checkout smart cart solution for Kroger customers, per PYMNTS. The smart shopping cart—which is being used in Kroger's Madeira, Ohio location—features a touchscreen display and scanner that lets customers scan their rewards card as well as barcodes on products before placing them into their carts and keeps a running subtotal of purchases.
It also includes a digital scale feature so shoppers can weigh their produce right in their cart. In lieu of standing in a checkout line, customers can use the touchscreen display and scanner built into their cart to process their debit or credit card payment. Caper CEO and founder Lindon Gao told Insider Intelligence that further rollout of KroGo is dependent on customer feedback.
The coronavirus pandemic has put frictionless shopping and checkout at the forefront of in-store shopping—helping expand retail technologies like Caper's smart cart. One of the main ways that this trend has taken shape is through increased autonomous checkout innovations: Firms like AiFi, Grabango, and Standard have ramped up offerings and partnerships to expand access to their retail tech as consumers seek out digital and contactless checkout and payment offerings amid the pandemic.
Amazon is making waves in the burgeoning space: The etailer inked a deal with airport retailer Hudson to bring its Just Walk Out technology to additional locations. Caper's smart cart offering is an extension of autonomous checkout solutions since it allows customers to forgo in-person checkout. However, Gao also told Insider Intelligence that cost and scalability are Caper's key advantages in the space—especially when considering the challenge of retrofitting a store versus tech implementation into shopping carts.
Koger's recent tie-up with Caper could signal wider deployment of smart cart tech down the line—though it'll need to contend with existing players in the space.
- Partnering with one of the largest grocery retailers in the US is a major step forward for Caper. If the pilot is successful, Caper has the opportunity to expand its smart carts to more stores in Kroger's 2,700 US store network—making way for widespread retail adoption of Caper's smart cart tech. Further, because of the potential cost and scalability advantages of deploying smart cart tech over retrofitting an entire store with autonomous checkout tech, additional retailers might take interest in deploying Caper's checkout solution.
- Caper's smart cart tech threatens Amazon. Amazon's Dash Cart—which is currently available in its Amazon Fresh stores—has a similar smart cart concept to Caper's KroGo, with the key difference being the scanless tech that allows customers to put items in their cart without swiping them across the cart scanner. However, Gao says scanless carts are on the horizon for Caper—knocking down one of the key barriers separating the two. Though Amazon has yet to open up its smart cart tech to other retailers, if it does down the line, it'll need to contend with retailers being wary of using the etailer's tech due to concerns about bringing a competitor like Amazon into its stores—making Caper a more attractive option.
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