New Seasons Adopts Digimarc Barcode for Partner Brands

In a move to enhance operational efficiency and enable front-end staff to better interact with customers and provide them with superior customer service, Portland, Ore.-based New Seasons Market has adopted Digimarc Barcode for its partner brands.

The Digimarc-enhanced barcodes, which will start appearing on New Seasons' store shelves in the first quarter of the year, will increase checkout speed and boost brand loyalty and customer satisfaction, according to executives from the community-oriented regional retailer.

“New Seasons prides itself on providing a shopping experience that is more than just a transaction,” said Sean Teisher, New Seasons' senior IT director. “Working with Digimarc gives us the ability to let our knowledgeable and passionate staff be the crucial customer touch point we want them to be. It’s important to us that our employees are able to devote their attention to customers and make sure they are able to help in any way they can.”

Noting that the Digimarc barcode is imperceptibly replicated across all sides of a package and does not infringe upon existing designs, Teisher said the package can be scanned at any angle, which not only significantly increases checkout speed and accuracy, but also imparts cost savings while improving the customer experience at checkout by allowing cashiers to interact with their customers during the process to ensure they received an optimal in-store experience.

“New Seasons is a leader in creating neighborhood gathering places, delivering trademark customer service and partnering with farmers and producers to bring their customers the best in the region,” said Bruce Davis, CEO at Beaverton, Ore.-based Digimarc. “We are excited for the role our Digimarc Barcode will play in further enhancing consumer engagement with their brands at retail and making greater product information accessible in a simple and easy way.”

The Digimarc barcode makes product information more readily available to consumers as they shop in the aisle with their smartphones, ranging from inspirational cooking ideas to stories behind their local suppliers. Further, the technology also can be used for deli product labels and point of purchase signage.

Beginning with a single store in Portland, Ore., in 2000 when three families and 50 friends united over shared values, New Seasons Market now has 18 stores in Washington, Oregon and California, as well as seven New Leaf Community Markets in Northern California.