Instacart Adds Games, Coupons to Caper Carts

Instacart is adding more cutting-edge technology to its smart Caper Carts. The personal shopping giant is adding not only games but also coupons to its smart carts to enhance the overall customer experience.

In a press release, Instacart explained this new and exciting addition to its already-existing technology, which the company hopes will provide a seamless shopping experience for its customers. The Caper carts will have “gamified quests, location-based coupons, and aisle-aware advertising formats. These new offerings build on the AI-powered smart cart’s capabilities to make grocery shopping more delightful and personalized via its digital screen, allowing brands and retailers to engage with customers as they shop in-store.”

The carts will be available at retailers such as Schnucks and Wakefern Food Corp., in partnership with brands like General Mills and PepsiCo, per the release.

So what are the Caper Cart’s “new gamified quests”? According to Instacart, these quests take the mundaneness out of grocery shopping and make the experience more adventurous. These quests are interactive mini-games customers complete using a Caper Cart, and they encourage customers to earn rewards, savings, and credits while they shop.

These quests are reportedly customizable and “designed in partnership with retailers and brands.” Quests appear on the Caper Cart digital screen with lights and sounds to alert customers when they are available.

What Types of Quests Are Available?

Instacart’s smart cart helps you navigate to the sauce that’s on sale

Instacart’s Caper Cart, which has a touchscreen and payment terminal up front where you’d normally seat your toddler or play Jenga with your produce, now has a new store map system that can help navigate you. pic.twitter.com/yaLYTwsTqM

— CIO Insights (@CIOinsights_) October 7, 2024

The Caper Cart’s quests include experiences such as flash deals, where customers can be part of a treasure hunt within the store, searching for these exclusive and sales-driven deals. Also, repeat customers can earn rewards, including cash off their total shopping bill, for completing a “shopping streak.” Finally, customers can earn credits, potentially worth $5 by the end of their trip, by selecting a set number of personalized digital coupons on a Caper Cart.

Caper Carts are currently available at Bristol Farms, Fairway Market, The Fresh Grocer, Geissler’s Supermarket, Kroger, McKeever’s Market & Eatery, Price Chopper, Schnucks, and ShopRite in the U.S., along with ALDI in Austria.