Supermarket giant Tesco has just released its first iPhone app, which allows users to search for their nearest store, get directions, and look through the product range.
Unlike the recent Ocado iPhone app, users cannot actually place orders via the app, but it is a potentially useful app. I've been trying it out...
The launch of the app was delayed as Apple rejected the first version that was submitted to the App Store due to a problem when users answered no when it asked to use the current location.
It's a simple app to use, and does what is says on the tin. Users can either use the iPhone's GPS to get a list of local stores, or choose to type in their location instead.
Select a store and you can see useful details; address, contact number, as well as a list of facilities like cafes, cash machines, pharmacies etc. It does miss out opening hours though, which would have been a useful piece of information.
There is also the option to bookmark the store so you can find it more quickly later, as well as finding walking or driving directions via the iPhone's Google Maps app.
One other useful feature is the option to find products in the local store, which is handy if you are looking for a particular product, such as a nice bottle of Pinot Noir:
It even tells you where in the store to find the product to save you time spent looking for it. It could also be useful instore, if you can't locate something:
The app is easy to use, and is a useful addition to Tesco's multichannel strategy, which should help drive a few more sales for the retailer. There is also a grocery shopping app on its way.
It contains some nice touches but is lacking some potentially useful features. Opening hours would be helpful, and information on prices and stock levels would be an improvement, though Tesco's Nick Lansley answers some of these criticisms on his blog.
Graham Charlton is Editor at Econsultancy. Follow him on Twitter or connect via Linkedin or Google+.
Chief Architect at Econsultancy
10:02AM on 13th October 2009
Stop me if this is too revealing of my personality and habits, but Tesco Finder would be an absolutely killer app for me if it could take my entire shopping list and produce a "route plan", namely the best order in which to collect those products and where to find each one.
The amount of time I've wasted going back to the same aisle for the fourth time in ten minutes...
European Web Analytics Specialist at Canon Europe
11:26AM on 13th October 2009
I like your comment Tom - however...
Those detours you have to make in Tesco to find the items you are after are key to the store's strategy of up/cross sell. They won't make it easy for you!
European Web Analytics Specialist at Canon Europe
11:27AM on 13th October 2009
also...it is unbelievable they didn't include opening hours!
Chief Architect at Econsultancy
12:24PM on 13th October 2009
You're right of course, although they're quite welcome to try to cross/up-sell me in the app itself: "and then, while you're picking up the washing powder from aisle 31, why not grab some half-price fabric softener?"
The app seems to be powered by a public API in any case, so maybe some enterprising soul will make an iPhone (or desktop) app that does what I want.
7:25PM on 13th October 2009
Hi Rob and Tom,
Yes opening hours are coming in the next update, and we're looking at prices too. The 'satnav' round the store sounds great and we are looking at this at the moment.
The app is created by the R&D team for good reason: so we can take it on a journey, adding more and more requests from customers in the weeks and months ahead!
Best regards
Nick Lansley
Head of R&D, Tesco.com
3:27PM on 17th November 2009
Nick,
any plans to release this app for the sony ericsson satio? Would be very handy to have.
2:48PM on 10th January 2010
Thanks guys! I am currently using the latest version of this app (10th Jan 2010) and it is just brilliant!! It does everything it says it will!!
Next step has got to be to order and have it delivered via the app? Or is that asking too much ?
Also, maybe a total of the cost of the shopping list at the top or bottom of the list. Obviously if it is not linked to real time price servers this may not provide truely accurate prices, but if it is within a pound or two......
Overall, excellent!! My wife wants to know if it will be made available for the nokia n900 phone ? I told her to just get an iphone 3gs! ;-)
12:43PM on 4th May 2010
Google maps for business is a really poor and basic platform which delivers 3/10 for quality. The Map results for the UK are weak when it comes to a postcode search as Google does not hold a commercial license for mobiles for when used by business.
10:12AM on 26th August 2010
I have seen much better mobile apps by ViaMichein , the google map is not very accurate on this and no opening hours or directions built in is not good for usbaility for the UK's biggest food store
1:14PM on 4th September 2010
I would like this app on my Samsung Galaxy, also the wine app too ...any ideas on when it will be available?