Published: 16th June 2010
Written by: Nicola Collenette
Asda has reacted to customer feedback with the launch of an in-store electronic Wine Selector.
The supermarket has said the Wine Selector, which is the same size as a cash machine, is being trialled “to simplify the task of choosing a suitable wine and demystifying the category”.
The Wine Selector will be trialled in two stores, Chapeltown Sheffield in South Yorkshire and Harrogate, and is hoped to be rolled out this autumn.
It has a touch screen and allows customers to search criteria such as price, grape and country. The Wine Selector prints out a docket with the suggested wine and each terminal is tailored to its store, with prices and promotions updated each day.
A spokeswoman said the new machines are the result of 18 months of research which showed that shoppers find the wine category confusing and jargon-filled. It said 68% of customers find the task of choosing wine confusing, and 56% tend to buy the same wines.
She said the Wine Selector was “completely impartial” in terms of selecting Asda’s own label range over brands.
Adrian McKeon, category director of beers, wines and spirits, said: “Industry-wide research and customer feedback tells us how shoppers want to interact more with the category and, as Asda continues to look for ways of helping shoppers and meeting customer demand, the Wine Selector is the perfect solution. This is a huge step forward for the retail market and we are proud to be leading the way.”
The Wine Selector will also be available on asda.com.