Test Shoppers Find Kroger's New Digital Shelves 'Influential' on Purchase Decisions

Test Shoppers Find Kroger's New Digital Shelves are "Influential" on Purchase Decisions

Kroger's new digital shelves at a QFC store in Redmond, Wash. (photo courtesy of Field Agent)

A test using eight secret shoppers at Kroger's QFC test store in Redmond, Wash., for the grocer's new EDGE digital shelf technology found the majority of patrons involved favoring the innovation over traditional shelf tags, Fayetteville, Ark.-based market researcher Field Agent has reported.

Part of the grocery giant's new Retail as a Service (RaaS) platform developed in partnership with Redmond-based technology company Microsoft, the new shelves were preferred by seven out of eight mystery shoppers, whereas the remaining one would rather see traditional tags on shelves.

When asked how influential they thought brand messaging on the digital shelves would be over their purchase decisions, half of them said "very" or "extremely" influential, while three said "somewhat influential." Only one said "not very influential."

When asked to share their thoughts on the digital shelves, shoppers commented on the shelves' ability to "jump out" at them, ease of reading and updating, and cleaner look. "Eye-catching," "smart," "efficient," "appealing" and "eco-friendly were just some of the words used to describe the grocery technology.

Kroger first revealed its RaaS system earlier this month, testing it at both the Redmond store and a Kroger store near Cincinnati. The solution is available for other retailers to adopt, and was on display at Microsoft's booth during Retail's Big Show 2019, hosted by the Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation at the Jacob K. Javits Center, in New York, Jan. 12-15. Read a rapid-fire interview with Kroger about the technology from Progressive Grocer sister brand Consumer Goods Technology here.

The Kroger Co. operates a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names nationwide. The Cincinnati-based company is No. 2 on Progressive Grocer's 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States. It was also named Progressive Grocer's 2018 Retailer of the Year.

About the Author

Randy Hofbauer

Randy Hofbauer is the former digital and technology editor of Progressive Grocer. He has more than a decade of experience as a content strategist, researcher and marketer, almost all of it covering CPG retailing. His insights and work have been cited in a number of media outlets, including The New York Times, the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune, and he was named a finalist in the Software & Information Industry Association's 2018 Emerging Leader Awards. Follow him on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn.