This is a great idea (had it myself at one point); the problem is you would have to have buyin from the grocery store itself, and like a casino...the more time you spend in it the more money they make.
That's a good point. Still, it's probably manageable to accomplish for major stores by manually mapping some out (or letting your app users map it out). I usually go to bigger stores, because you can find everything in one store. People who shop often wouldn't need the app, since they remember where everything is.
The same idea expanded a bit, could be to optimize for money. For example, if your list is going to be $200, you might save 20 dollars by shopping in two/few separate stores (accounting for gas), and app could divide the list into multiple lists per store.
This is way harder, because prices change all the time (store layout doesn't change as often), and usually you can't look up prices online. The app could take into account any store coupons (assuming manufacturer coupons could be used in any store).
The target audience for this are people who are willing to trade in time to save few dollars. I'm not sure they will have smartphones.
anywherenotes|12 years ago
The same idea expanded a bit, could be to optimize for money. For example, if your list is going to be $200, you might save 20 dollars by shopping in two/few separate stores (accounting for gas), and app could divide the list into multiple lists per store. This is way harder, because prices change all the time (store layout doesn't change as often), and usually you can't look up prices online. The app could take into account any store coupons (assuming manufacturer coupons could be used in any store). The target audience for this are people who are willing to trade in time to save few dollars. I'm not sure they will have smartphones.