Instacart is adding four new platform technologies that are intended to strengthen its support of grocery operations.
With the new offerings, the San Francisco-based shopping and delivery services operator and technologies developer said that grocers can:
- Offer display ads on their retail media networks powered by Instacart’s Carrot Ads platform
- Use FoodStorm, Instacart’s order management system, to support items sold by weight, enabling digital ordering for more items
- Leverage remote management for Instacart’s smart carts to makes it easier to support customers in store and free up associates
- Have integrated fulfillment for Rosie-powered websites to make it easy and affordable for independent grocers to get online
An Instacart spokesperson told Supermarket News that the new solutions fit with its strategy of helping grocers of all sizes offer more seamless customer experiences both online and in-store and enable retailers to better compete by not having to develop technologies or invest in e-commerce and fulfillment on their own.
“Local and independent grocers are at a pivotal moment to re-evaluate their digital approach to design it for an omnichannel future, and the new Instacart Platform features were designed with them in mind,” the spokesperson said.
The display ads will allow CPG brands to raise awareness and consideration of products and drive consumers to advertiser-created landing pages on the grocer’s platform, Instacart said, noting that brands also will have access to measurement solutions to better understand the strategies that drive the most value.
FoodStorm, by now supporting items sold by weight, including all fresh food and prepared selections typically found at deli and meat counters, will give grocers the ability to support order management and offer digital ordering of their deli and meat departments through a single connected platform.
Shoppers can order the fresh items by weight online for same-day delivery, pickup, or from a store kiosk, which creates incremental sales opportunities, reduces preparation pressure for retailers, and delivers a more seamless experience for customers, Instacart said.
The remote management of Caper Carts in real-time via a tablet makes it easier for retailers to see how many smart carts are being used, the types of items being shopped, and to flag unusual behavior for audit, Instacart said. Caper Carts, Instacart’s AI-powered shopping carts, are equipped with scales, sensors, touchscreens, and computer vision technology that identify items placed in carts without manual scanning and enable shoppers to check out from the cart.
By enabling integrated fulfillment for websites powered by Rosie, Instacart’s white-label e-commerce solution, meanwhile, grocers will be able to get everything they need for e-commerce in one place, including customizable online storefronts with web page creation capabilities, fulfillment services and customer support, Instacart said. Instacart purchased the Rosie e-commerce platform last year.
