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Retailers: Using Technology to Build Trust

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal ran an article describing how some grocery chain retailers are now using sanitized washing machines to disinfect grocery carts. (Surprisingly, shopping carts are among the dirtiest public places.) From one perspective this an excellent way to establish a high-level of trust with a store’s customers. From another perspective, it could send an unintended signal to customers that its shopping carts are somehow dangerous and thus could end up being counter-productive.

So, what is a well-intentioned grocer to do? One answer could lie in the esoteric field of nanotechnology. A number of new nanomaterials are now being made that have self-cleaning and even anti-microbial properties. Therefore, a more elegant solution to germ-ridden grocery carts, could lie in constructing them out of nanomaterials. (In this way, the carts could simply clean themselves without drawing any unwanted attention to the cleaning process.)

This is just one example of how new emerging technologies can help retailers establish a higher level of trust with customers. Best Buy and other retailers are now deploying kiosks in their stores that allow customers to conduct quick and easy price comparisons with competitors products. Even though many people do extensive research online before they make a purchase or can use their cellphone to do the same thing, the kiosks sends a great signal that Best Buy is using technology to bring a higher level of transparency to its business. Imagine further then that the kiosks can dispense an electronic coupon to match or better the competitors price. How far would that go in developing trust?

In the near future, RFID technology will also be deployed to enhance trust. Many consumers are becoming increasingly interested in the entire life cycle of their meat and agricultural products. With RFID technology consumers can learn everything from the farm that a chicken was raised on; to whether it was fed any antibiotics; to how long it was in transport before it arrived on the retailers shelf.

As wireless technology, RFID and in-store electronic displays all become more prevalent, the opportunity exists for retailers to build an ever deeper level of trust between themselves and their customers. The only question is whether retailers are willing to embrace the immense opportunity sitting before them.

Interested in other grocery-related articles by America’s leading retail futurist, Jack Uldrich? Check out these past articles:

Tesco Jumps the Curve
The Future Face of Retail
Watch What You Eat—Literally
The Future of the Grocery Store
Retailers are Beginning to Jump the Curve
Pump It Up: Retailers Use Google to Bolster Customer Loyalty
RFID Gets Untracked

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