Interaction Design Methods G.A.1.3

Similar systems in Estonia and abroad

Currently there are a many similar alternative applications for mobile devices but the variety of options they offer is smaller than the 3S is planned to have. Also they do not provide in-store navigation assistance or most of them even the map of the store. Only two of Estonian supermarket chains (Prisma and Selver) offer somewhat of a shopping assistance services like the 3S is planned to have. Then again Prisma and Selver’s systems have a lack of features when compared to the 3S.

For instance an application Grocery King Shopping List enables co-composing of shopping lists, alerts when a store is being close, browsing recipes in order to add ingredients to the list and viewing of shopping history. Also scanning of bar codes is possible with this currently only Android-designated product in order to have an overview of the previous purchases. The application is not free, costing 3.99EUR (Google, 2013)

Menu for creating a shopping list with Grocery King Shopping List. 

Grocery King Shopping List is similar to 3S with its grocery list synchronization, bar code scanning and shopping history features. At the same time it doesn’t offer self check-out and it’s not free for the end user. With over than 10 000 installs it has a head start and more feedback than our product. It also might benefit from its simple design and the images next to the name of the item that enable easier list composition and crossing the items off. Then again the features planned to join together will make 3S a full shopping assistant that at least in Estonia, where such assistants are not too common yet, would try to conquer the market with its Estonian-market-designed features (language, database, store maps etc.) 

Crossed off items at the menu of Grocery King Shopping List.

A free application AnyList is simpler than the previously described application and it only offers list sharing, categorizing the products, voice commands and browsing recipes with automatically adding the ingredients to the shopping list (Apple, 2013). 

AnyList enables transferring ingredients from a recipe to the shopping list. 

The similarities between 3S and AnyList are list sharing, product categorization and being free. At the moment browsing recipes and adding ingredients to the list is not a feature planned for the 3S but it is a possibility for future development. Compared to AnyList 3S offers more features, such as barcode scanning for both list creation and self checkout, also the in-store navigation is a feature that AnyList does not have. Having both of the applications free for the end user is definitely a big advantage for them. Also having offers for items as seen on a screenshot below is useful. Then again an application tailored specially for the Estonian market would probably gain more popularity here. 

The app AnyList also helps with searching for the required goods from the list.

In Estonia a couple of different options also exist for self check-out. For instance Selver uses self check-out scanners that everyone can carry around the store with them. Scanners have become reasonably popular suggesting that customers see them as useful. But the scanners are the only feature from the options of 3S that Selver offers, showing that there’s room for improvement. Selver’s strength with the scanners is that the interface in the scanner is easy to use and they enable faster shopping. But the problem with those scanners is that before using it one needs to be a member of Selver’s customer program and identify himself with Selver’s Partner card. The membership issue is a big disadvantage that limits people from using the scanners, especially since many find out about it at the store and not previously. 

 The self check-out scanner for Selver.

The payment terminal in Selver.

Prisma on the other hand provides self check-out registers for customers who don’t want to use a register with a cashier. Prisma also doesn’t require a user to be a member of the customer program and their registers have also proven to be popular amongst people who are willing to listen to the instructions from the register and act exactly as told. The company also offers a shopping list creation feature on their webpage but the options there are limited with only typing in what you need (no database behind it) and then either printing it out or e-mailing the list to an e-mail address. The advantage of a self check-out system like this is the time saved from not standing in a line. Then again the check-out system could be made a bit simpler with less required instructions. The similarities between Prisma’s options and 3S are the ideas of offering list creation and self check-out. The actual features offered are nothing alike and therefore 3S could fill the gap for bigger customer satisfaction. 

Prisma's shopping list creator is rather primitive and the categories shown are just illustrative. 

References

Apple. (2013, 12 10). AnyList. Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/anylist-grocery-shopping-list/id522167641

Apple. (2013, 11 14). ScanLife. Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scanlife-barcode-scanner-qr/id285324287?mt=8

Google. (2013, 12 1). BarcodeScanner. Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Google Play webpage: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android

Google. (2013, 12 8). Grocery King Shopping List. Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Google Play webpage: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.groceryking&hl=et

Prisma. (2014, 02 9). Prisma peremarket. Retrieved 02 09, 2014, from Prisma Peremaket webpage: https://www.prismamarket.ee/ostunimekiri
Selver. (2014, 02 9). Selver. Retrieved 02 09, 2014, from Selver webpage: https://www. selver.ee/selveekspress/

Background:

• Why have you chosen this project idea?
• Do you have a personal connection to the field?
• How long have you been involved?
• Do you have a chance to contact stakeholders, subject matter experts and/or possible users for this design project?

Literature:

• Did you find any useful literature about your project domain?
• Summarize key findings.
• Do the findings support your initial problem?

Competitive review:

• Do you know any similar systems in Estonia and in abroad?
• Choose 2…4 similar systems for comparison.
• Take screenshots.
• How are they similar to your project idea?
• How are they different from your project idea?
• What are the main strengths of each system?
• What are the main weaknesses of each system?
• If you prepare presentation slides about the competitive review, then please upload your slides to the web and embed to your blog post (SlideShare, Scribd, Google Docs).

Project overview - Smart Shopping Service

Smart Shopping Service (3S) is a shopping assistant useful for many target audiences that need assistance with shopping. For instance people who don't like grocery shopping need to get in and out of the store as fast as possible. That requires an organized shopping list, a well thought through route and quick check-out. Also people with multiple parties in family need good coordination of necessary items that need to be bought. 

Smart Shopping Service is a service that enables multiple users to jointly create a shopping list, share and edit it in real time.When at the store the application functions as a GPS assistant that directs users to the right isle and to the product. It is done according to the shopping list and the list is automatically reordered into the most efficient (and fastest) route for the user. In order to provide a full service the 3S application makes one's phone act like a self-service scanner to scan the bar codes and in the end pay for the goods.

The buyers of the system (our customers) are the supermarkets who obtain the system. They are seen as our actual market to sell the product, then again the market research concerning the specifications and design of the product needs to be conducted on the actual shoppers. Shoppers are seen as users of the system and for them the product will usable free of charge.

There are many products on the market that provide some of the same features than the 3S. Then again the 3S has the majority and the most important ones of them combined together to provide the full service the customers need.