The smart car promises much, but the smart cart is set to bring our favourite pastime to a higher level. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), best known as a tool to increase visibility in logistics, could soon find its way into shopping carts and transform the shopping experience, thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at the National RFID Centre User Conference and Technology Exhibition.

The carts will be able to help shoppers locate products and expedite the checkout process.

The National RFID Centre, set up by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research ( www.a-star.edu.sg ), the Economic Development Board, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore ( www.ida.gov.sg ) and SPRING Singapore ( www.spring.gov.sg ), is a focal point of the Government’s efforts to help local enterprises tap RFID to improve business and deliver value to their customers.

Under the MOU by MediaCart Asia, Exploit Technologies, Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), MediaCart Asia will invest S$2.5 million to develop RFID-enabled shopping carts that promise to improve the lot of all involved in the shopping process – retailers, shoppers and brand marketers.

Individual carts can guide shoppers to locate the products they want easily, and offer useful information like recipes and nutritional information of food while they cruise the aisles, as well as expedite the checkout process.

Retailers will also benefit, as the RFID-enabled carts will help the stores to have a clearer sense of buying patterns. The carts can also allow real-time in-store advertising and promotions, which are desirable for advertisers and consumers alike, since most buying decisions are actually made in the store itself.

To achieve this brave new shopping experience, retail marketing media company MediaCart Asia has licensed the MediaCart system from US-based MediaCart Holdings. MediaCart Asia will also tap the expertise of IME and SIMTech for the project, which is supported by SPRING under the Technology Innovation Programme. The company is also taking steps towards a pilot trial with supermarket retailers.

Besides using the carts in the retail sectors, their adoption in other industries will also be explored. Dr Jannie Tay, MediaCart Asia’s founder, is upbeat about the possibilities of the intelligent carts. “We are very excited about its potential and the benefits that MediaCart can bring to retailers, manufacturers, brand owners and particularly, shoppers,” she said.