Kroger's latest version of its mobile app not only remembers your grocery list, but tells you the aisle location for each item at your preferred store.
If you run out of peanut butter or cereal at home, you can scan the empty jar or box at home and it appears on your grocery list. The app also informs you of Kroger's weekly sales and offers – based on your shopping history from your loyalty card. Finally, the upgraded app prominently features a new search bar worthy of Google.
Kroger's app has been downloaded on more than 10 million devices and issued more than 2.5 billion digital coupons since its launch in 2010.
But with eight million shoppers in stores every day, Kroger believes its app has plenty of room to grow. The Downtown Cincinnati-based retailer's strategy to spread the app's usage is relevance – making the app a way to speed customers' planning and grocery shopping.
"We want customers to see it as an invaluable tool – something you can't leave behind in the car when shopping," said Chris Ainsworth, Kroger's digital product manager for mobile apps.
All the features help create a smarter shopping list that saves the customer time in preparing for a trip as well as navigating the store. All upgrades are prompted by customer requests and feedback.
Kroger added a search bar after customers told the retailer they didn't want to sift through store categories.
Another new feature is an interactive image of the grocer's weekly ads. Customers can flip through the pages and click on desired sale items. When a shopper taps the image of a sale item, a circle appears and it is automatically added to the digital shopping list on the app.
Insights from 84.51°, Kroger's newly-acquired consumer research subsidiary that analyzes data behind its loyalty card program, powers the app.
The app prominently features "Sale Items for You" that are individually catered to the user who logs in with their loyalty account number. Offers are highlighted based on previous sales activity, so a non-pet owner never sees dog food coupons.
Improving convenience is one of Kroger's key strategies for growing its business.
In 2003, Kroger developed its Customer 1st strategy where the chain offered lower prices – but not the lowest prices – while also stressing a wider product variety, customer service and better overall shopping experience. As a result, the company has reported 12 straight years of increased market share.