We are analyzing how the introduction of app based technologies such as scan-and-go and personal shopper apps such as shipt, instacart, and grocery pickup services can reshape the logistics of a traditional grocery store. These technologies shift the shopping experience from a physical experience of walking aisles and touching products, to a mission based experience in store, while the “shopping” or browsing experience is purely digital. This changes how the customer views products and therefore marketing strategies of the seller.

This project examines the logistics of the personal shopper experience as a means to design a new grocery store prototype. Viewed specifically through the personal experience of Shipt, but acknowledging similarities to companies such as Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Uber Eats or store based curbside pick up, we would like to evaluate how the personal shopper influences the effectiveness of the physical store. First, this project rethinks scale; We propose limiting the neighborhood area that each driver covers, allowing for more stores throughout a city, while shrinking the footprint. This project also rethinks consumption; it tailors the products to need-only based on shopping orders within a given neighborhood. Also, it eliminates excess shelving space required for display.

Shifting to a mission-based shopping, the store acts more as a fulfillment center and can be completely redesigned to be more efficient. By locating parking under the fulfillment area and decreasing the number of products, the store footprint is greatly decreased, lending to a decreased shopping time.