Smart Cart Technology Transforms Physical Retail into Measurable Media Channel

A2Z Cust2Mate Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: AZ) is transforming physical retail from what has historically been a data blind spot into a fully measurable environment through its smart cart technology, according to a recent Customerland podcast featuring Editor-in-Chief Mike Giambattista. In his conversation with Cust2Mate CMO Yaniv Zukerman, Giambattista explained that smart cart platforms represent less about hardware and more about enabling a new attributable in-store channel powered by continuous behavioral signals.

The technology integrates cart-mounted screens, on-cart payment systems, loyalty programs, pricing information, and POS systems to turn the shopping trip into a stream of first-party data. This data capability improves labor efficiency, reduces checkout friction, and drives larger basket sizes through increased shopper confidence and engagement. The most significant shift identified by Giambattista is the emergence of performance-grade in-store retail media, where screens tied to known shoppers become persistent, contextual, closed-loop channels.

Uploaded shopping lists, dwell time, product scans, and item removals act as intent cues that trigger dynamic offers and decision recovery mechanisms. This development closes the historic gap between retail media and trade spend, giving consumer packaged goods brands verified influence at the moment of choice. According to Giambattista's analysis, physical retail may surpass digital measurement quality within two years, provided retailers maintain strict stewardship of shopper trust, privacy, and data governance.

The smart cart technology represents a fundamental shift in how retailers can understand and influence in-store behavior. By retrofitting existing shopping cart fleets with modular, all-in-one detachable panels, retailers can transform legacy infrastructure into intelligent platforms that deliver measurable benefits. The system's AI-driven capabilities personalize each in-store journey, turning routine shopping trips into engaging, rewarding experiences while enabling seamless in-cart scanning and payment that allows shoppers to bypass traditional checkout lines.

This transformation matters because it addresses one of retail's most persistent challenges: the inability to accurately measure and attribute in-store marketing effectiveness. For decades, physical retail has operated with limited visibility into shopper behavior between store entry and checkout. The Cust2Mate technology creates what Giambattista describes as "a measurable, attributable in-store media and data channel" that provides brands with the same level of performance tracking available in digital environments.

The implications extend across multiple stakeholders in the retail ecosystem. For shoppers, the technology promises reduced friction through streamlined payment processes and personalized offers delivered at relevant moments. For retailers, it offers operational efficiencies through labor optimization and data-driven merchandising insights. For CPG brands, it provides the long-sought ability to connect marketing investments directly to in-store purchase decisions with verified attribution.

As the retail industry continues to evolve, technologies that bridge the measurement gap between physical and digital environments will become increasingly critical. The smart cart platform demonstrates how physical retail can leverage technology not just to compete with e-commerce, but to develop unique advantages through immediate, contextual engagement with shoppers during their purchase journey. More information about the company's developments is available in their newsroom at https://ibn.fm/AZ.