Shopping app gives customers control in supermarket war
A new player has been introduced to the never-ending war between supermarket giants in Australia – a mobile phone app that sorts out the week’s best specials from Coles, Woolworths and Aldi.
Shopping app Trolley Saver takes the weekly specials from the chains and combines them into one easy list, so consumers can compare products and prices.
“It’s too hard to go through hundreds of pages of catalogues all the time,” founder Sam Lee told 7 News.
“We link the shopping list with the specials so that they know exactly the best place to shop based on what they need to buy.”
Mr Lee started developing the app in 2011 and it is the first of its kind to compare all three of the major supermarkets.
He said the competitive nature of the app will make the big stores pay more attention to their customers.
"I think it will make them think about their specials more and matching more to what consumers want to buy.
“Staying loyal to one supermarket is not saving you money because specials change all the time,” he said.
Mr Lee is looking to expand the app to include smaller supermarket chains as well, saying it could mean more traffic to local businesses.
"We plan to bring onboard other retailers, especially medium size supermarkets," he said.
"They stand to reap the most benefit by putting their specials on front of customers who wouldn't otherwise consider shopping there."
And alcohol retailers are next on his list.
Statics show the average Aussie shoppers spends $138 per week on groceries, but using the Trolley Saver app, users can expect to pay up to 30 per cent less for the same products.
For hard working mums like Louise Kraudelt, every cent counts when it comes to grocery shopping.
“It makes a huge difference, you know, at the end of your bill,” she told Seven News.
She said her choices while shopping are heavily influenced by the items that are on sale.
“If gala apples are on special that week, that’s what I get. If mandarins and grapes are on special, that’s what they get that week.”
Ms Kraudelt is a regular user of Trolley Savers and says it saves her time and money.
“Instead of all the catalogues coming in the mail and you’re looking at it, it’s all in one place on your phone,” she said.
The free app has had over 25,000 downloads and is available here.
Morning news break - April 13
