SK Telecom launches Smart Cart- Smart shopping service that uses a smartphone and a smart shopping cart equipped with tablet PC

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SK Telecom today announced the launch of a pilot test for Smart Cart in Korea with E-Mart, the nation’s largest retail chain. Smart Cart is an innovative service that uses a smartphone and a smart shopping cart equipped with tablet PC to offer diverse shopping-related information based on accurate indoor positioning technology. After downloading the Smart Cart application to their smartphones, customers can search for shopping/discount information, store coupons and draw up a shopping list.Then at supermarkets or retail stores, the customer’s smartphone is synchronized with a tablet PC installed to a smart shopping cart through user authentication. Within the stores, depending on their location, customers can get useful information – e.g. catalogue, product information, discount information, etc. – and receive coupons using augmented reality technology. At the checkout counter, the tablet screen shows the list of purchased items, membership points and available coupons.


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Indoor positioning technology uses both UWB and Zigbee to offer location information within error range of one meter and diverse real-time information updates appear on screen of tablet PCs attached to shopping carts via Wi-Fi networks. Smart Cart is expected to realize a truly personalized, smart shopping service once integrated with the customer relations management (CRM)-related information including the E-mart customers’ purchase history and usage patterns. Customers will enjoy greater convenience through location-based information of products they wish to purchase, improved access to all available discounts.