Popspots Launches to Help Retailers and Brands Access Untapped Opportunities at Checkout

Popspots-enabled smart checkout displays now available in over 200 grocery stores across the United States with plans for rapid expansion

AUSTIN, Texas — August 22, 2018 — Popspots, a company that’s modernizing the retail checkout using smart displays and AI-powered technology, today announced its general availability in the United States. Initially focused on grocery, Popspots’ displays combine a product management platform with the industry’s fastest-growing digital out-of-home ad network, helping brands and retailers drive awareness, engagement and conversion directly at the point of purchase. At launch, Popspots technology is already installed in over 200 stores across the country, with plans to double its network size over the next three months.

Today, 98% of grocery purchases are made in physical stores. Of the shoppers who enter those stores, 96% buy something and pass through the checkout. Despite being one of the most important in-store moments, the checkout experience has remained largely unchanged for decades.

“The investment in and innovation around the retail checkout experience has never matched the size of the opportunity it offers both brands and retailers,” said Marlow Nickell, CEO and co-founder of Popspots. “Popspots technology helps stores and brands capture critical mind and wallet share of shoppers at the moment it matters most, and gives them the visibility and data needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive space. ”

Popspots smart displays affix directly to existing checkout fixtures, and come equipped with the Popspots software platform, which offers:

Product Management for Store Teams

Grocers and brands in the U.S. lose $500 million in the checkout aisle every year — nearly 10%of sales — because of misplaced and out-of-stock products. The problem is widely recognized, but has gone unsolved because traditional merchandising relies on overworked store employees and can’t measure historical performance. Popspots makes merchandising smarter with computer vision algorithms that automatically detect product issues and report corrective actions. Equipped with this technology, store employees can easily ensure products are properly placed and in-stock, growing sales for both grocers and brands.

“Like all grocers, we struggle with out-of-stock products, and the issue is especially challenging in the checkout aisle. With Popspots, we have the ability to quickly identify and resolve inventory problems,” said Keath Allen, Merchandising & Private Brands Retail Director at Hy-Vee. “In a single month, we cut out-of-stock issues in half and ensured new planograms were merchandised correctly, helping us recapture critical lost sales.”

The Future of Digital Out-of-Home for Brands

With competition for consumer attention on the rise, brands are under more pressure than ever to reach today’s shoppers. But traditional out-of-home media can’t deliver the flexibility and feedback that modern marketers demand. By running digital video ads on Popspots’ smart checkout displays, brands can more effectively engage and convert the millions of U.S. consumers who shop in grocery stores every day, directly at the point of purchase. As the fastest-growing digital out-of-home network in grocery, Popspots delivers more than 720 million verified impressions annually while ensuring 100% viewability, with ads only playing when consumers are standing in line. Brands can easily test content and update campaigns via the self-service Popspots platform, driving increased value for their advertising investments.

Popspots’ official launch closely follows its selection as the $25K Gold award winner from MassChallenge Texas, the inaugural Texas-based cohort and part of the global network of zero-equity startup accelerators. Founded by grocery industry veterans, Popspots technology is utilized by some of today’s largest and most well-known grocery retailers and brands, including Hy-Vee, SuperValu, Smart & Final, Mars-Wrigley, Pepsi and Red Bull. For more information, visit www.getpopspots.com.

About Popspots

Popspots is modernizing the retail checkout with AI-powered technology that helps brands and retailers drive awareness, engagement, and conversion — directly at the point of purchase. Popspots’ smart checkout devices combine video advertising with a product management platform to better capture the mind and wallet share of U.S. consumers who spend 98% of their grocery dollars in physical stores. With actionable reports and access to both current and historical performance, brands and retailers can make data-driven decisions that deliver immediate, impactful value. Popspots technology is already used by many of today’s leading brands and grocers including Red Bull, Pepsi, and Hy-Vee, and can be found in more than 200 stores across the United States. Founded in 2016, Popspots is headquartered in Austin, TX. For more information, visit www.getpopspots.com.