Target is planning to launch a store navigation and product finding app today, making it far ahead of the curve when it comes to in-store GPS technology, Venture Beat reported.
The function will cover all of its 1,801 stores and is the first of its kind for the Target. It comes at the same time the store is unveiling new iPhone and iPad apps, along with mobile and desktop websites.
Washington-based Point Inside is developing the app and has done the same for Lowe's and Michigan-based Meijer.
"What's been missing for the physical world has been the digitization of a store," said Point Inside CEO and cofounder Josh Marti.
A shopper begins by creating a shopping list, using a system that knows brand names and can bring up suggestions. The app will then tell a user if the store has the product stocked.
The navigation and product availability depends on each store, which is said to set Point Inside's apps apart from the competition, like IBM Smarter Commerce.
The app adapts itself by using the geofencing surrounding each Target retail store. A map will appear that describes the location of each sought-after product on the shopping list.
But the app might not help you get to the aisle the fastest. Point Inside's technology doesn't yet pinpoint the fastest path to each sale.
Almost all of the U.S's top 100 retail stores are unveiling or toying with mobile shopping enhancements. Mainly, Apple's iBeacon spec is the front line of Bluetooth beacons. These top 100 stores represent more than $2.5 trillion in sales every year, Search Engine Land reported.
Target's software is available for Apple's iOS devices through their app store. The Android version is similar, but only covers 40 stores as opposed to all of them. A more comprehensive Android version is being developed.
