Smart Refrigerator Shops for Groceries

Samsung Electronics recently unveiled a refrigerator that lets shoppers order groceries from participating retailers, which at launch will span Northeastern retailer ShopRite and online grocer FreshDirect.Debuting last week at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator lets users order groceries using a built-in application from MasterCard, dubbed “Groceries by MasterCard,” accessible via a 21.5-inch HD LCD screen located on the fridge’s upper-right exterior door. Rolling out to unspecified retailers in May, the fridge and app will initially allow users to order from ShopRite for in-store pickup or delivery and FreshDirect for delivery. As the rollout continues throughout the year, additional retailers will be added to the Groceries app through a partnership with Winooski, VT-based MyWebGrocer. Facebook and Twitter updates from ShopRite spotlighted the fridge. “By partnering now with Groceries by MasterCard, we can make life even more convenient for our customers with this latest innovation in on-demand grocery shopping,” said Joe Sheridan, president and chief operating officer of Wakefern Food Corp., in a media release. “This new technology incorporated into the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator allows families immediate access to our ShopRite stores the moment they run out of food or need ingredients for a recipe or planned meal.”The Groceries app is programmed to learn shopping habits to make personalized suggestions on items and brands. New features such as recipe and video integration will continue to be added. “In a world where every device — from the phone to the refrigerator — is connected to the Internet, the ways in which consumers interact and transact with their favorite brands are changing,” said Betty DeVita, chief commercial officer, MasterCard Labs, in a media release. “We’re developing compelling, safe and seamless commerce experiences for consumers across channels and devices as we continue to eliminate the boundaries between how we shop and how we pay.”MasterCard has also developed a companion mobile app for Groceries, which will allow multiple family members to add items to a single order and access interior images of the refrigerator, which are taken each time the fridge door closes. Samsung uploaded a YouTube video to spotlight the app’s capabilities. (See video below.)

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