By Aimee Chanthadavong
Since its launch last November, the free iPhone App Scan2List has been helping consumers make the shopping process easier.
The Australian and New Zealand app lets consumers create shopping lists by scanning the barcodes of items that already exist in their pantries, which can be saved for future use and be synchronised with other app users in the household.
Founder and CEO of Scan2List Kate Cass told RetailBiz that the logic behind the creation was as a result of personal frustration.
“I was sitting at home one time with my kids and husband and realised I had to go to the shops which is a such a drag when you have kids so on this particular day I asked my husband to go for me and sent him on his merry with a basic shopping list and when he came home, he came home with all sorts of things and brands we have never used in our household,” she said.
“So I thought there has to be a better way to confidently send someone like my husband to the shops and he’ll return with items that I wanted.”
With over 150,000 barcodes already recognised by the program, a list can be organised into the aisles to match the layout of the store and items can be check off as they are added to the trolley.
“You can build a shopping list and scan barcodes that are in your pantry. There’s also pre-emptive text functionality. So it basically lets you do your shopping say while you’re at work and you can add it to your list and you can go grab it before you go home, Cass said.
“An extra functionality has also been incorporated into the app that lets you share your lists in real-time where someone at home can put items on your list while you’re shopping and they’ll see what you’ve already put in the trolley.
“Also, it’s a fairly autonomous app where everybody can put things on their list from various shops and then build that list according to which retail store they’ll be going to.”
The application works across multiple stores and has a specific store locator with all of Aldi, Woolworths, Coles, BiLo, IGA stores include. Many more speciality and chain stores will also be added.
This month, a new version of the app will added that will give shoppers access to daily deals such as specials and discounts of the day.