Secret Woolies feature solves common supermarket problem
For anyone who's ever wandered the aisles searching for a niche cooking ingredient or mustered the courage to ask a store assistant where the pickles are, the supermarket's 'Product Finder' feature is the tool you've always wished existed.
It's understood to have launched in October last year and is now available in 300 Woolworths stores across New South Wales.
It allows shoppers to locate items instantly, without needing to rely on the laminated aisle directories.
How it works
By switching the app into 'in-store' mode and setting your local Woolworths as your preferred store, you'll then see the Product Finder tile on the home screen.
Customers can then either type or speak the name of the item they're looking for.
The app will then display the product, along with related items, and tell you exactly which aisle it's in.
If you're happy to share your phone's location, there's an even more advanced option.
The app can show you a detailed map of the store and function like GPS, guiding you straight to the product you're after.
It even integrates with Olive, the supermarket's AI voice assistant, so shoppers can verbally ask where to find something without touching their screen.
Woolworths say it's a tool built for convenience
A Woolworths spokesperson told news.com.au that, 'Over one million Woolworths customers now rely on the Woolworths app as an essential part of their shopping routine as they use it to manage their shop both online and in our aisles.
'Once users have set their preferred store in the app, customers can access their local store floor plan to easily navigate and find their favourite products more quickly and conveniently,' they said.
Shoppers respond
Reactions from shoppers have been mixed.
Some say they'll stick to asking a store employee for help or referring to the printed directories at the end of the aisles.
However, others have praised the feature as a 'game-changer' that'll 'help cut down time and mental effort' while shopping.
'There's nothing worse than pacing up and down the aisles looking for something specific, only to realise it's back in the first aisle I looked in,' one person told news.com.au.
'I sometimes use the laminated cards, but they don't have everything on them and only show the basics, so this will be great,' another said.
A third shopper added: 'I would definitely use it in a store I am not familiar with. How handy'.
And a busy mum-of-three said it would be 'perfect for those moments when you're rushing into a store for a specific item – something you don't usually cook with or a new product'.
Given that Woolworths stocks an average of 20,000 products in each store, this new feature is sure to become popular.
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