Caper's shopping cart is the ultimate checkout experience for customers who want a quick and easy checkout. (Image via Capar)
Technologically, it almost seems like this should be common place already. I look forward to shaking up industry.
Grocery store customers want speed and convenience when it comes to shopping, but that can be a problem. Most checkout lines can be lengthy, which ultimately takes away from the whole shopping experience. There have been some innovations with automated checkout, but that requires major overhauls in retail stores to run. Now with Caper, those line-ups can change drastically. So far, the carts are being used in two grocery stores in New York and there are plans to roll out 150 more in 2019. The company also lists Key Food Fresh, Met Fresh and Pioneer Supermarkets as its retail partners on its website.
The AI-powered shopping cart uses computer vision, making it much simpler to skip the checkout lines. Customers can place their items into the Caper cart and the built-in sensors display the item on the interactive screen. Caper also helps shoppers find deals throughout the store. Once the customer has completed their shopping, they can pay on the cart and leave the store.
Caper and the hands-on experience makes room for the technology. (Video Credit: Caper)
No installation and operational restructuring are needed for the shopping cart - it's simply a plug-in solution that allows store owners to setup with ease. Owners would just need to enable the automated checkout that best suits their business. The current version of Caper's cart requires scanning of all items in the shopping cart and it has become the preferred use of technology for shoppers. The company is also looking to improve its deep-learning algorithm through the use of image recognition cameras and a weight sensor. Caper also provides customer with an interface that allows them to find more items in the store, increasing the size of their shopping cart. In participating stores, Caper has increased average basket size by 18% by helping customers with items they may have trouble finding or simply do not have in their cart yet
Caper has raised $3.5 million in total from First Round Capital, Y Combinator and other investors in the grocery industry like Nick Taranto and Max Mullen, both cofounders of their respective companies.
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