Textual ads destined to hit shopping cart handles

As marketers continue to search for (and exploit) places in which you'd never think to find an ad, it makes sense to scroll a few plugs through an item that the vast majority of us spend at least a few hours per week touching. That item, dear friends, is the handle of the tried and true shopping cart, and apparently, Modstream is hoping to install bars with scrolling displays onto buggies and allow companies to beam in messages wirelessly. The system works by allowing outfits to access a web-based profile, enter in a given message, and transmit the ad to participating stores. As an added bonus, the setup enables said companies to change up their messages on a whim and keeps us shoppers guessing as to what clever line is coming next. Now, who's down with hacking this thing to scroll through our favorite RSS feeds?

[Via Textually]

[darren @ Nov 16th 2007 2:53AM]

The homeless rejoice! Upgraded mobile homes ftw!

[zephead @ Nov 16th 2007 2:56AM]

AHHHHHH

Yet another way to get advertising shoved down my throat.

>:(

[quomen @ Nov 16th 2007 2:57AM]

"Did you know: This handle contains more than 1,000,000 forms of disease causing bacteria. BUY PURELL BITCHEZZZ"

[Tim @ Nov 16th 2007 3:50AM]

They'd better add little wheel-powered generators, because I really doubt the guys on cart duty are going to want to plug them all in every night.

[Twitchy @ Nov 16th 2007 5:08AM]

Pity they decided to put the display exactly where I hang my jacket when I go shopping.

[AL @ Nov 16th 2007 5:15AM]

"As marketers continue to search for (and exploit) places in which you'd never think to find an ad"

Except trolleys have had advertising on them for years, at least in the UK.

[James Barnes @ Nov 16th 2007 5:32AM]

Oh, joy

Prize to the first 13 year old to get them all to text out LOL HAXXORZZ

[dj-kenpo @ Nov 16th 2007 8:04AM]

it'll mos tlikely be rf based serial, whoevers building it won't design some never before seen invention of magic wirless, so it shouldn't be too hard.

the problem is the will to do it.

I'd rather just twist the plastic till it snaps, say "woops" and keep on walkin

[Ignatius @ Nov 16th 2007 5:39AM]

Well, once about 10-15 of these Super Carts are stolen by homeless people, I think they'll revise their business model and just go with something cheaper.

[Wayne @ Nov 16th 2007 6:53AM]

Some grocery stores are using hand-held scanners that allow the consumers to scan and bag as they shop. These scanners chime with pictures and prices of sales items as you approach them when you stroll the store. A bit of text on the handle is a bit of step backwards.

[Pavan @ Nov 16th 2007 11:32AM]

I like the bag and shop idea...self checkout is how I get pomegranates at Wal-Mart for the price of green apples!

[Jo @ Nov 16th 2007 7:47AM]

LoL. Good comments. I took this seriously until I saw what you had to say!

[Alex Ion @ Nov 16th 2007 7:15AM]

Great idea but I think Google will interfere and will ban those that sell text advertising. Right?

[Wwhat @ Nov 16th 2007 7:20AM]

Who the hell looks at the handle? Ever.
I know most handlebars have some logo or text but I totally could not say what it says on the ones I use all the time.

Oh and in my EU country homeless people never steal carts, they have no use for them.
And in fact I bet that the US homeless people just take carts abandoned by fat stupid lazy people that can't be bothered to roll them back to the store terrain, which means the fat lazy people stole them, not the homeless.
Also those stores that put electronics in probably also put in those automatic brakes if you try to move it off the property.

[Phreak511 @ Nov 16th 2007 8:15AM]

You are ignorant. In my country (UK), homeless people take shopping carts or whatever else is lying around so they can carry what they need down the street.

Of course, what do u know about the homeless? You're probably one of those fat lazy people from France who work 2 hours a day.

[Wwhat @ Nov 16th 2007 5:09PM]

And you are a fat drunk brit it seems, you said it yourself.
(I'm not french btw, but I don't mind if you call me that either really, and as far as I know the french economy isn't doing so bad)

[Clark H. @ Nov 17th 2007 10:38AM]

FLAME!!!

AHH! I leave ONE cart near my car, and now I'm fat and lazy?? >_<

STOP WATCHING ME!!!!!!!!!!

[Wwhat @ Nov 18th 2007 2:38PM]

hehe, just messing :)

[Andrew A. @ Nov 16th 2007 7:34AM]

They have had this at the local Home Depot for at least a month now. The first time I used one of the carts, I looked at it for a second walking in, wondering what it was. By the time I was leaving the store I had no idea that it was even there.

In the future, I hope they don't start beeping to indicate that a new ad has popped up, or even talk to you.

[Claudius Coenen @ Nov 16th 2007 7:35AM]

That's been done before. what's the news? A local Store right around my corner had those things five years ago. It worked like this: There were Infrared-Transmitters installed in the ceiling. When you walked under one, the thing beeped and showed you, what was the cheapest or otherwise interesting here.

People were so annoyed with this technology, that it was removed shortly after.

[tekdroid @ Nov 16th 2007 8:53AM]

people spend at least a few hours a week touching shopping cart handles? really? I need to get out more :p

[Galley @ Nov 16th 2007 9:31AM]

Here in the South we call them "buggies". Yeah, my Yankee mom thinks it's hilarious.

[Shane @ Nov 16th 2007 9:54AM]

There in the south you also call every carbonated soft drink a "Coke"... :-) That's hillarious...

[T-Bone @ Nov 16th 2007 10:21AM]

What part of the South are you in? I've never heard that.

[Galley @ Nov 16th 2007 10:23AM]

Greenville, SC

[David Clark @ Nov 16th 2007 9:32AM]

This will fail miserably. I remember a few years back they had these calculators with ads on the shopping carts and as cheap as those were, they were very short lived.

[Alex V @ Nov 16th 2007 9:58AM]

My local home depot already uses these. They've been using them for months. Not too bad, it lets you know what the "deals of the day" are which may work if it is something you were thinking about picking up anyway.

[Jake @ Nov 16th 2007 10:14AM]

Giant Markets did this at the Exton, PA store over 10 years ago with the in-store locators (IR?) described above. They were larger displays... probably about 10", with ads appearing related to what you were near. It also included a directory to find other items in the store and a detailed map of the isles. It was pretty handy, but didn't last very long.

[T-Bone @ Nov 16th 2007 10:23AM]

Do you know why this will fail? I frequently shop at Wal-Mart but I can't tell you with any certainty if the handle says anything. Who looks at the handle anyways?

[phydroxide @ Nov 16th 2007 11:16AM]

This is a good idea but it should be sponsored in part by the government to mitigate cost! They can use the excuse of the Emergency Broadcast System!

Just kidding... but seriously don't you wonder if some governments will charge a communication excise tax like they do for mass communication of other types?

It is coming my friend.

[Ukarion @ Nov 17th 2007 6:02AM]

Don't you think it's a waste of time and money created these useless things?

[Evapor8 @ Nov 23rd 2007 12:22PM]

Agree with the comments about the uselessness of this idea. Stores in the UK (Waitrose) and a few others have hand scanners for self checking, they can already flash messages up at you and you look at the screen every time you scan something in. Your not likely to look at the handle. I have 2 kids and the child seats are located at the rear of the trolley. The kids arms would cover the central bit of the display. And likely my Son would just break it anyway after about 3 seconds of messing.

Also with two kids in the cart and stress levels already high, I am not going to be avidly following text messages on the handlebars. If they turned the display the other way and showed cartoons then my kids could be quiet , and I could do more shopping!

I could handle the display idea when all goods have RFID in. Then when I drop something in the cart it uppdates the display with what I've dropped in and displays my total amount of goods. That would be useful.

Anyhow, shopping in stores is so 1990's. I do most of my shopping online now. I can shop at 4 major supermarkets online my area .

[Brian Spence @ Nov 20th 2007 10:26AM]

My Home Depot in Arlington, VA has these.