Starting today, we’re bringing Smart Trolleys to even more shops across Missouri and expanding into Illinois – marking the first time the smart trolleys will be available in Illinois. This expansion follows Schnucks’ first introduction of Smart Trolleys in 2024.
With this expansion, we’re also introducing a new feature: the lower tray. Designed to improve the trolley’s versatility, this option now makes it easier for customers to add heavy, bulkier items such as cases of water, soda or pet food to the trolley. By simply scanning the item and placing it on the bottom tray, customers can confidently shop for every item on their shopping list, without having to skip heavy items or lift them all the way to the basket.
“Schnucks was an early adopter of Smart Trolleys, so they’ve seen first-hand how the trolleys can drive a double digit basket size increase,” said David McIntosh, Chief Connected Stores Officer at Instacart. “Whether customers are looking to save money, stay on budget or simply enjoy the convenience and ability to scan, pay and go – we’re proud to offer an engaging and personalised way to shop for Schnucks customers.”
“It’s clear to us that customers love shopping with Smart Trolleys – and at our newly launched stores, we’re seeing many times throughout the day where all 10 trolleys are in use,” said Chace MacMullan, Senior Director of Digital Experience at Schnucks. “As a family-owned grocer, we’re always looking for new ways to stay competitive and improve the in-store experience for our customers. Smart Trolleys are intuitive and make shopping fun and engaging.”
Smart Trolleys are equipped with AI, cameras and a built-in scale, which work together to automatically recognise items as they are added to the trolley. Customers can bag as they shop, watch their running total and once shopping is complete, they can conveniently checkout directly from the trolley.
Smart Trolleys alert customers to available promotions and discounts by syncing to their Schnucks Rewards account, as well as provide Caper-exclusive coupons just by shopping with the trolley. We see customers save an average of $2.50 per trip through digital coupons alone – that's more than $200 a year for someone shopping twice a week.
Schnucks has long been an early-adopter for many of Instacart’s technologies, first partnering with Instacart in 2017 to introduce same-day delivery. In addition to Smart Trolleys, Schnucks has introduced a number of Instacart Platform technologies, including e-commerce, Carrot Ads, Eversight and Carrot Tags.
If you're interested in Instacart Platform technology for your grocery business, click the button below to submit a Retailer Inquiry form.
