KUALA LUMPUR: U Mobile, the data-centric and award-winning mobile and digital services company, is partnering with Qualcomm, the innovative connectivity solutions provider that intelligently connects everyone and everything, and The Food Merchant (TFM), the country’s first international premium grocer that has curated and sourced over 250 international brands in-store – to conduct a proof-of-concept (PoC) with the TROLLEE P1 smart retail solution for shopping carts at TFM’s outlet at Pavilion Embassy, Jalan Ampang.
The PoC is currently ongoing and will run for a limited time only.
With TROLLEE P1, shoppers can search for products by categories and recommendations by simply keying in the name of the product that they are looking for besides using the navigation feature to locate products in the store. They can even manage their shopping list and shopping budget by scanning the products with the device before placing them into the cart.
The self-checkout feature in TROLLEE P1 also offers convenient, fast and contactless payment – eliminating the need for shoppers to queue at the cashier. Another innovative feature is the use of augmented reality (AR) technology in campaigns to engage shoppers with interactive games and activities, giving shoppers an immersive shopping experience.
For retailers, TROLLEE P1 among others, presents an opportunity to bridge the gap between the online and offline customer journey as the smart shopping cart’s proprietary hardware and software is able to capture data on shopper patterns and preferences.
This smart retail PoC collaboration between U Mobile, Qualcomm and TFM is particularly timely as Malaysia’s retail industry continues to track positively against projections, with Q1’23 growth recording a better-than-expected rate of 13.8% in retail sales, as compared to Q1’22. The global estimate for smart retail market is also estimated to be worth US$91.36 billion (RM429 billion) by 2030, highlighting the interest that retailers have in wanting to achieve greater insights to their customers’ behaviour via digital transformation.
U Mobile chief sales officer Alex Tan said their vision is to be Malaysia’s favourite digital services provider and true to that ethos, they are always looking at how they can leverage on digital innovations to enhance industries.
“With the Malaysian retail industry rebounding so reassuringly post-pandemic, we believe that this is the best time for U Mobile to provide our connectivity expertise to power technologies that elevate the supermarket shopping experience for Malaysians. Hence, we are delighted to partner Qualcomm and The Food Merchant on this initiative as the insights provided by their customers will be invaluable,” he added.
Tan said that smart retail is just the start as U Mobile is actively seeking to partner different industries to explore or implement digital solutions to contribute to Malaysia’s ambition to be a technology-based economy as outlined in the 12th Malaysia Plan.
“As we look towards the future, The Food Merchant is at the forefront of technology adoption in the retail industry. From state-of-the-art checkout systems to augmented reality shopping experiences, we believe that embracing technology is essential to make seamless shopping easier, faster, and more enjoyable for our customers. Simultaneously, we continuously curate our product offerings to ensure our customers have access to the finest and freshest options to enhance the overall shopping experience,” said TFM COO Leong Pei Khim.
ST Liew, vice-president of Qualcomm Technologies Inc and president of Qualcomm in Taiwan and Southeast Asia said, “At Qualcomm, we believe that the future of retail lies in the seamless integration of cutting-edge technology. Our smart retail solutions empower businesses to transcend traditional shopping experiences, creating dynamic environments where data-driven insights meet personalised interactions. By seamlessly integrating AI-driven smart retail solutions, we’re not only enhancing customer experiences but also catalysing a broader digital transformation that’s redefining the landscape of business and connectivity.”
