Supermarket chain Asda has launched a transactional mobile app, allowing shoppers to purchase groceries online and undertake price checks using their smartphones, it was announced yesterday.
Asda‘s app has an integrated scanner which allows customers to scan products using their barcodes and add them to their online basket.
By collaborating with its owner Walmart‘s mobile team based in the US, Asda has enabled customers to register, shop and amend existing orders and delivery times up to 10pm on the day prior to delivery via the app, which also features a store locator.
Value for money remain the key focus for the grocer and the new innovation aims to build on the functionality of the existing Asda Price Guarantee iPhone app first launched in October 2010 by enabling shoppers to do a price check on the move.
In doing so, customers can compare prices with other leading supermarkets and, if their groceries are not ten per cent cheaper at Asda, a voucher can be retrieved to make it so.
This commitment to value has been reflected in strong financial results, as the retailer announced earlier this week that sales excluding fuel and VAT grew 1.3 per cent LFL in the three months ending September 30th 2011, with average spend in store rising 2.6 per cent year-on-year.
Online grocery sales continued to grow in the period and delivery rates improved with 19 out of 20 customers receiving their delivery within the time slot specified during checkout.
The app, which is free to download from the Apple app store, is available immediately and comes after the retailer launched a mobile optimised-site in August.
“More than 60 per cent of customers who access the Asda.com mobile website do so using iPhones, so we‘ve created an app that allows them to shop – and price check – on the move,” said Kate Cuthbertson, Asda‘s head of mobile strategy.
“Our mobile strategy is moving at pace with more new developments planned into the New Year.”
