LOS ANGELES, June 10, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unified Grocers has joined the inMarket Mobile to Mortar™ (M2M) beacon platform and will begin deploying beacon technology in select member stores in California and Washington later this month.
The technology is poised to transform how retailers communicate with shoppers. M2M — the world's largest beacon platform — enables mobile apps (running on both iOS and Android devices) to detect signals from beacons in shoppers' immediate surroundings. The beacons transmit a variety of information designed to enhance the customer's in-store shopping experience, including custom coupons, loyalty rewards and grocery list reminders. M2M currently reaches over 40 million shoppers.
"inMarket's Mobile to Mortar beacon technology is one more way Unified is helping our retailers engage with shoppers and achieve incremental sales," said Sue Klug, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Unified Grocers. "It's a win-win. Shoppers benefit from information and deals sent to their mobile devices and retailers have an effective way to increase sales."
Todd Dipaola, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of inMarket, said, "We're empowering the best shopping apps in the world to reach consumers in new ways. Unified's members possess the spirit of entrepreneurship to move quickly and take advantage of incremental marketing dollars from brands."
Unified will demonstrate M2M at its upcoming Expo buying event for its independent retailers and suppliers at the Long Beach Convention Center, June 18-19.
Beacon technology is the latest example of Unified's commitment to use technology to drive top-line sales for its members. As Unified looks to focus more resources on this growing field, we're pleased to announce that Grant Lunde, formerly with C& K Markets, has joined the company as manager of retail digital marketing and shopper engagement. Lunde will provide the vision to help independent grocers harness the digital channel to engage, understand and reward their shoppers.
About Unified Grocers
Founded in 1922, Unified Grocers is a retailer-owned wholesale grocery distributor that supplies independent retailers throughout the western United States. Unified and its subsidiaries, which generated approximately $3.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2013, offer independent retailers all the resources they need to compete in the supermarket industry. For more information about Unified Grocers, please visit www.unifiedgrocers.com.
About inMarket
Since launching in 2010, inMarket's mobile in-store marketing platform has driven millions of consumer product engagements. In January 2014, inMarket launched Mobile to Mortar™ (M2M) as the world's first multi-retailer beacon platform, which has rapidly grown to become the largest network of beacons in the world. Over 40 million shoppers are reachable through M2M beacon-capable apps including Epicurious, Key Ring and CheckPoints. inMarket uses proprietary, secure beacon geofencing to provide retail with unprecedented micro-location effectiveness at scale. Partners such as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Levi's, Nestlé, and Procter & Gamble have launched hundreds of successful in-store campaigns with inMarket. By reaching the #1 purchasing demographic — often referred to as the "lost generation" by traditional media — inMarket's unique model delivers engagement when it matters most and dramatically lifts branded purchases. For more information, please visit www.inMarket.com.