Dive Brief:
- Madison, WI-based Fetch Rewards has been partnering with grocers in its region to help customers scan products and apply coupons via its Shop Fetch app in-store, according to Supermarket News.
- Fetch Rewards CEO Wes Schroll said that the company will soon partner with “a decent-sized chain” to raise the number of stores it’s available in from 56 to more than 100. Also in early 2017, a second “retail agnostic” app will be available nationwide.
- Last summer, Fetch Rewards partnered with the ShopWell app to provide customers with nutritional information. Customers could type in a health concern, such as diabetes or a gluten allergy, and the app will alert them if a scanned product is an appropriate choice. A redesign of the app will roll out in February.
Dive Insight:
The Fetch Rewards app is designed to help consumers get deals and reward points on items they scan, but it also helps shoppers keep track of total costs and create a shopping list, saving time and money in the process. Its biggest asset, however, is that it creates a speedier checkout for the consumer.
On the heels of Amazon Go's opening in Seattle, which will provide a checkout-free shopping experience for consumers, grocery retailers began to realize that shoppers are highly interested in saving time in line. As a result, Fetch Rewards saw interest in its app grow substantially.
As more retailers begin to offer this service, it could bring customers who started shopping online back into the brick and mortar stores, since many people switch to avoid long lines to checkout. Many analysts agree that improving or eliminating this sort of issue is key to reinvigorating traditional-format grocery shopping.