Textual Ads On Your Shopping Cart

We've seen advertisers try just about everything, from branded pens and pencils to in-game ads, to grab our attention. It seems that marketers just won't be happy untill they penetrate every ounce of our daily lives, force-feeding us their messages of product superiority and how much you need their newest gizmo. Now, Modstream wants to bring textual ads directly to your shopping cart! While not the first attempt at shopping cart ads, Modstream's method definitely brings something new to the table.

Modstream's carts will feature a handy screen on the handle bar that can stream information directly to your cart. The advertisers can choose which ads to send to you, when to send them, and where (whether it be regionally, store specific, etc). Your local grocery store, for example, could stream their latest sale items directly to the handle bar while you shop, or Ikea could send you information on their latest designs. The system is extremely flexible, allowing for the change of ads at a moments notice, which is highly appealing to marketers that are trying to target various audiences based on time-of-day shopping (students, stay-at-home parents, and working professionals all have different shopping habits and interests, and shop at unique times correlated to their demographics). What is going to set Modstream's carts apart in the eyes of the stores that have purchased the them? Unlike other screen-based cart marketing systems of the past, these carts are water and weather resistant with a battery life of five years.

I'm torn by this concept. It makes complete sense to advertise to me while I'm shopping, but if I'm not seeing any sort of compensation or price-break, where is the real benefit to me as a consumer (see the in-game advertising debate)? I personally would like to see either contextual ads based on where I am in the store, or better yet, an interactive, touch-based system that allows me to find information (consumer reviews, ads, general information, etc.) about the products I am near.

The Modstream Carts are currently being tested at Home Depots in a few select states, and could be rolling out nationwide soon.

Product Page [Modstream]
[via: Engadget]