Gokis Kiosk Self-Service

IBM Builds a Recipe Kiosk

MARKHAM, Ontario — IBM here has introduced a new kiosk that enables grocery retailers to provide shoppers with meal suggestions, in-store coupons and special offers they can print or download to smart phones to redeem at checkout.

Metro is the first grocery retailer to pilot the kiosks, which can be programmed and updated by cell phone. In total, 45 units were installed in 15 of Metro’s Toronto-area locations in April.

In the first month of the six-month pilot, shoppers viewed more than half a million pages, printed 35,000 recipes, researched more than 8,000 products and conducted more than 12,000 keyword searches for meal suggestions. The Metro stores reported an approximately 5% sales increase for those items featured on the unit.

IBM built the self-service kiosk unit, which includes an intelligent video display demonstrating preparation of a feature recipe and a touchscreen with access to more than 3,000 recipes as well as content on topics including meal-planning for diabetics or the glucose-intolerance, health tips and how-to tips on selecting, storing and preparing fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood.

IBM worked with Mediatile, St. Joseph’s Media and ShopToCook.com to develop the software and content that runs on the shopping assistant. Mediatile uses its cellular, WiFi-enabled technology to maintain and update the instructional content provided by St. Joseph’s Media and ShopToCook.com’s recipes.

“Vendors and retailers have invested significant resources into finding new ways to reach consumers in the grocery environment with a meaningful message and experience,” says Gillian Kerr, senior marketing director of Metro, in a statement. “The new kiosks are the first medium in which we can provide both the ‘Wow’ and ‘How’ factors for the time-pressed shopper.”

A recent IBM study of Canadian consumers revealed technology is giving shoppers a new source of power, driving an increasing need for retailers to engage them in new ways, with personalized offers and coupons. The study also revealed shoppers are becoming increasingly comfortable using different types of retail technologies. Thirty-one percent of respondents said they would use an in-store kiosk, with those 20 to 43 years old most likely to do so.

Metro Piloting IBM Recipe Kiosk

Posted by staff at June 15, 2010 08:53 AM