ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Dec. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Synqera, a global technology startup that brings personalized online shopping experiences to physical retail storefronts, will debut its first grocery retail pilot program with LAND, a premium supermarket chain in Northwestern Russia. Synqera is installing paired consumer-interacting, content delivery technologies in LAND that haven't been seen in traditional grocery business models: Synqera Loyalty Generators, compact printing devices with interactive touch-screens at the entrance of each of the chosen piloting store locations, as well as Simplate devices at check-out, providing targeted content relevant to new and returning customers ahead of the busy holiday season while increasing customer service.

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LAND will be integrating Synqera personalization and data analytics technology throughout locations within the stores to address key market concerns impacting the grocery category, including increasing competition and customer demand for deeper individualized experiences while physically at the store. The solution leverages data collection and analysis for real-time prediction of customer preferences and relevant product recommendations, creating highly personalized consumer experiences that no other retail-focused technology has brought to market before.

Further description of how the paired technologies will work is below.

Loyalty Generator

Activated with a loyalty card, Loyalty Generators at LAND provide benefits to both the grocer and the consumer. The interactive kiosks at the front of the store print out personalized product recommendations relevant to individual shopping needs, especially for those who repeat-purchase at LAND. The technology will help shoppers find and discover products that they need as well as incentivizing loyalty program members to purchase based on special offers and promotions. This increases overall basket size for grocers, while also providing an easy yet comprehensive marketing tool for recommended brand switching, product promotions, and upselling specific products. For example, by analyzing regular shopping baskets of the customer the system may suggest him to switch to the grocery private label instead of more expensive branded analogue.

Features of Loyalty Generator specific to this integration:

• Personalized, on-demand shopping lists based on predictive analytics (customer profile analysis, individual shopping history, time of the day, and day of the week)
• Themed shopping lists
  • Includes recommended products by LAND
  • Provides real time information on range of products within the store, prices and special offers.
  • Personalized recommendations of new products, special offers for this particular customer.
• Recipes (categorical and themed)
  • Country-specific themed recipes carefully chosen by LAND include the grocer's recommended brand and ingredients.

Simplate

At the checkout desk or cashier, LAND will activate Simplate, an interactive customer display with near field communication (NFC) technology via proprietary Synqera tablet devices that have powerful multimedia capabilities created to attract and monetize customer attention. Initially for LAND, Simplate will collect and analyze real-time customer feedback via an interactive survey on customer satisfaction. Planned for the near future, Simple will interactively recommend relevant products for shoppers to add to their basket, also providing in-store coupons and targeted offers prior to finalizing their purchases.

"Our customers recognize our brand as offering the finest products sourced from around the world, food prepared in our own gourmet kitchens and personalized recommendations from in-house experts," said Ilya Shtrom, general director of LAND. "Understanding how our customers think and like products helps us make shopping at LAND a better experience. Synqera's analytics and customer personalization technology enhances the shopping experience at a critical point throughout the sales process."

With a unique in-store grocery experience, featuring sommelier-hosted wine rooms, relaxation zones, barista-run cafés and children's playrooms, LAND's unique approach to retail aligns well with Synqera's personalized customer-engagement technologies.

"Eighty-five percent of adults polled in a recent survey that we commissioned believe that their general grocery shopping experience could be better. Providing shoppers with relevant information and promotions about products they already enjoy vastly improves loyalty, while unplanned purchases are most impacted by information delivered within the store," said Filipp Shubin, COO of Synqera. "LAND is the ideal environment to test what we already know about the retail experience and apply it to the grocery category."

ABOUT SYNQERA

Synqera, a retail technology startup, develops big data-driven technologies that bring the personalized online shopping model to physical retail stores, creating a more compelling in-store experience for consumers and greater customer loyalty and increased sales opportunities for retailers. Founded in 2010, Synqera launched its first product Simplate in 2012 in Europe and in 2013 in the United States, providing a new concept of real-time business-to-customer media communications. Synqera is headquartered in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, with its U.S. office in New York City. Visit Synqera online at Synqera.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

ABOUT LAND

Land is a leading high end supermarket chain with 9 stores in St. Petersburg. From its first supermarket opening in 1998, the chain offers only fresh and first-rate items from all over the world. Today the number of goods exceeds 22 000. Land applies excellent level of service with personalized approach to each customer, including personal advice on wine choice from sommeliers, coffee – from baristas, delicacy – from gourmets. More information can be found at http://LAND.ru/ and http://supermarket-land.ru/.

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SOURCE Synqera