Iowa Co-op Deploying New Shelving Solution
New Pioneer Co-op – “New Pi” to its friends – an Iowa cooperative grocer with three locations – will implement ELi Codes and Smart Shelf Tags from Cornerstone for Natural in its stores over the next few weeks. When scanned by a smartphone, ELi Codes provide information on products in stores.
The solution aims to drive sales by engaging and educating in-store shoppers at the exact time that they’re making a purchase decision; train in-store staff on the benefits, features and stories of the products they sell; and providing customers with the information they need to make good buying decisions.
“By adding ELI Codes to our shelf tags (turning them into Smart Shelf Tags), we will be growing sales by helping our shoppers make better-informed buying decisions and educating our in-store team members about your products,” wrote Linda Fritz-Murphy, purchasing coordinator at New Pi, in a letter to its vendor partners. “Equally important, we will be helping you better connect with your potential consumers, in our aisle, while they are considering making a purchase. We are asking you to participate by helping us enhance the product content our shoppers see when they scan your ELi Codes on our shelf tags. Our program will be prominently merchandised throughout our stores to ensure our shoppers are aware of the great content available to them.”
The co-op is hosting a series of webinars for its suppliers to explain how the program works and answer questions.
With locations in Cedar Rapids, Coralville and Iowa City, New Pi purchases from more than 130 local farmers and food producers year-round.
Tampa, Fla.-based Cornerstone for Natural helps companies in the natural product space be more efficient, productive, decisive and profitable by connecting their disparate business systems and functions through a fully integrated, enterprise-wide, modular software solution.
