Finnish grocery chain Kesko lifts average transaction value 6% with BLE-powered smart cart navigation
Kesko deployed Navigine's Bluetooth LE indoor navigation across 98 Finnish supermarkets, equipping shopping carts with tablets that guide shoppers to products in real time. The system raised average check size by 6%, reached half of all cart users with targeted push promotions, and routed one in four shoppers along optimized paths.
Background
Kesko's 98 Finnish supermarkets faced operational and commercial challenges common to large-format grocery retail: customers struggled to find products efficiently, aisles became congested, and the retailer had limited tools to deliver targeted promotions at the moment of highest purchase intent — while the customer was actively shopping.
What Was Implemented
- Bluetooth LE beacons installed throughout each of the 98 Kesko supermarkets
- Shopping carts equipped with tablet computers connected to the Navigine platform
- Customers enter a grocery list on the cart tablet; the system calculates an optimized in-store route and displays it in real time
- Location-triggered push notifications delivered personalized promotions and discounts based on the shopper's precise position in the store
- Real-time asset tracking with comprehensive analytics for store operations optimization
- Deployment executed in collaboration with a Finnish systems integrator
Results
Average transaction value increased by 6% across deployed stores. 50% of cart users received push notifications via the system. 25% of shoppers followed Navigine's recommended routes through the store. Kesko reported improved brand awareness and greater efficiency in marketing and promotional campaigns. The system also delivered comprehensive analytics enabling ongoing optimization of store operations.
Lessons
- Indoor navigation technology can double as a revenue-generating marketing channel when combined with location-triggered promotions
- Equipping existing store infrastructure (shopping carts) with navigation hardware reduces friction in customer adoption
- Measuring both route compliance and transaction value is essential to quantifying the commercial impact of wayfinding systems
- Success depends on a well-configured analytics layer to continuously optimize route recommendations and promotional triggers