The solution, provided by Internet of Things technology company Leantegra, enables customers to receive notifications for wayfinding, as well as promotions as they move through the store.
Auchan's Kiev store spans approximately 31,000 square meters (333,680 square feet), so capturing the attention of shoppers and directing them to specific products of interest poses an inherent challenge. With the Leantegra solution, the retailer hopes to make the shopping experience more personal for consumers, while also gaining a better understanding of shopper behavior. Based on the success of the Kiev store pilot, the retailer may opt to expand the deployment permanently to that store, as well as to other locations throughout Ukraine.
Auchan has mounted 180 Leantegra WiBeat BLE beacons throughout the store, says Olga Rusnak, Leantegra's senior marketing manager. The retailer then provides customers with its own Android-based app — a store-branded application that was developed by Leantegra and works on Leantegra's software developers kit (SDK).
Customers first download the app on a smartphone. Auchan is offering the system only on Android-based devices, though Leantegra's SDK accommodates both Android and iOS systems. If a user has the phone's Bluetooth enabled, the app will detect that person's presence when he or she enters the store. The app recognizes the customer's identity and location, then forwards relevant content to that individual's phone. For instance, the customer may view a list of discounted items, or offers indicating new products or promotions under way throughout the store.
