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P&G seeks startups for Future-Proofed Retail Innovation in Urban

Deadline: June 15, 2020

If you would like to submit a solution, please go to the P&G Innovation Brief Response Form https://bit.ly/2X3TBHw to complete their form with the requested information, AND submit here and we'll try to to help you get status on your application.

Business Background:

Winning in urban is critical for P&G. Nearly 50% of US consumers live in cities and this is growing quickly at 28%. Urban also over indexes with key consumer groups including multicultural and millennial consumers. P&G intends to win with these consumers whenever, wherever, and however he or she shops and future proofing by securing a first mover advantage.

The urban retail environment is incredibly diverse and comprised of many different offerings. This includes both traditional commerce channels (Drug, Club, and Food) and non-traditional (high frequency stores, independent grocery, Cash & Carry). Traditional retailers present in cities often have smaller formats and unique pain points. Urban consumers also over index on eCommerce and convenient solutions like delivery. They are time starved and are re-defining convenience and reshaping retail in line with the preferences for how they shop including: omni-channel shopping, new services and solutions, and anywhere commerce (meet me where I am). Consumers will expect a future forward experience that is effortless, relevant, meaningful, and engaging. It will be critical and most important for retailers to deliver on a frictionless, seamless shopping experience with a relevant assortment. P&G is focused on identifying urban focused retailer solutions and learning on the feasibility and scalability of them through lean, agile experiments. This effort is designed to help both P&G brands and their retailers better meet the needs of the urban consumer both today and into the future.

Business Challenge / Needs Definition:

P&G is looking to partner with companies and emerging disruptors to address key shopper and retailer pain points in urban to deliver a breakthrough experience which disproportionately drives P&G brands. These pain points include:

  • Make Shopping Easier: Improve the in-store/online shopping experience: shelves are picked over or items are out of stock, lines are long, it is difficult to find items, items are locked up.
  • Have the Right Assortment: Showcase and offer an assortment that is relevant for me and meets my needs as an urban consumer.
  • Do it For Me: Free me from all or part of the multi-step process of urban shopping: getting to the store, picking groceries, lugging groceries home, & putting them away.
  • Meet Me Where I Am: Meet me along my fragmented day and long commutes without requiring extra stops or trips between me and my home. (On route, at office, at gym, at home, etc.)

Solutions can address one or all of these pain points. Solutions should address the rapidly changing retail environment, specifically in urban. P&G is seeking partners that can activate through lean experiments. We intend to experiment with next generation solutions that can future proof P&G’s business and be activated in the short-term but will be critical to winning in the future of retail. Solutions that are uniquely relevant to the urban shopping experience, saleable cross-retailers, and enable P&G to secure a 1st mover advantage will be prioritized. Solutions can cover any part of the consumer, store or product journey including how the product gets to the store, how product is presented in store, and how the product gets to a consumer’s home. We are seeking out both in-store and online solutions. The in-store solutions should be agile and flexible. Spaces available could include shelf space, endcap, and stand-alone spaces. This brief is focused on identifying solutions that can be piloted in USA cities.

Relevant Domains May Include, But Are Not Limited To:

  • Alternative fulfillments (e.g. delivery, last mile, micro-fulfillment)
  • Automated solutions (e.g. picking, delivery)
  • Alternative retail formats and models (e.g. pop-ups, in-transit)
  • In-store digital solutions (e.g. cashierless checkout, immersive yet contactless)
  • Lean, agile, innovative in-store physical tools (display, endcap, etc.)
  • Shopper and retailer safety solutions
  •  

The Ask: P&G is looking for services and solutions that help solve the day to day pain points of the urban shopper and retailer and can disproportionally advantage P&G brands. If you have ideas and supporting technologies, that you believe can help deliver disruptive services & solutions to this challenge, we want to hear from you. Where there is a good fit, we are looking to drive agile in-market pilots with the goal of scaling successful services & solutions. All ideas and submissions will be fully reviewed.

Deadline: June 15, 2020
Posted on: May 27, 2020
Industry: CPG
Key Words:
retail, innovative retail, urban retail, delivery, alternative retail, contactless checkout, automated commerce, ecommerce

If you would like to submit a solution, please go to the P&G Innovation Brief Response Form https://bit.ly/2X3TBHw to complete their form with the requested information, AND submit here and we'll try to to help you get status on your application.

Business Background:

Winning in urban is critical for P&G. Nearly 50% of US consumers live in cities and this is growing quickly at 28%. Urban also over indexes with key consumer groups including multicultural and millennial consumers. P&G intends to win with these consumers whenever, wherever, and however he or she shops and future proofing by securing a first mover advantage.

The urban retail environment is incredibly diverse and comprised of many different offerings. This includes both traditional commerce channels (Drug, Club, and Food) and non-traditional (high frequency stores, independent grocery, Cash & Carry). Traditional retailers present in cities often have smaller formats and unique pain points. Urban consumers also over index on eCommerce and convenient solutions like delivery. They are time starved and are re-defining convenience and reshaping retail in line with the preferences for how they shop including: omni-channel shopping, new services and solutions, and anywhere commerce (meet me where I am). Consumers will expect a future forward experience that is effortless, relevant, meaningful, and engaging. It will be critical and most important for retailers to deliver on a frictionless, seamless shopping experience with a relevant assortment. P&G is focused on identifying urban focused retailer solutions and learning on the feasibility and scalability of them through lean, agile experiments. This effort is designed to help both P&G brands and their retailers better meet the needs of the urban consumer both today and into the future.

Business Challenge / Needs Definition:

P&G is looking to partner with companies and emerging disruptors to address key shopper and retailer pain points in urban to deliver a breakthrough experience which disproportionately drives P&G brands. These pain points include:

  • Make Shopping Easier: Improve the in-store/online shopping experience: shelves are picked over or items are out of stock, lines are long, it is difficult to find items, items are locked up.
  • Have the Right Assortment: Showcase and offer an assortment that is relevant for me and meets my needs as an urban consumer.
  • Do it For Me: Free me from all or part of the multi-step process of urban shopping: getting to the store, picking groceries, lugging groceries home, & putting them away.
  • Meet Me Where I Am: Meet me along my fragmented day and long commutes without requiring extra stops or trips between me and my home. (On route, at office, at gym, at home, etc.)

Solutions can address one or all of these pain points. Solutions should address the rapidly changing retail environment, specifically in urban. P&G is seeking partners that can activate through lean experiments. We intend to experiment with next generation solutions that can future proof P&G’s business and be activated in the short-term but will be critical to winning in the future of retail. Solutions that are uniquely relevant to the urban shopping experience, saleable cross-retailers, and enable P&G to secure a 1st mover advantage will be prioritized. Solutions can cover any part of the consumer, store or product journey including how the product gets to the store, how product is presented in store, and how the product gets to a consumer’s home. We are seeking out both in-store and online solutions. The in-store solutions should be agile and flexible. Spaces available could include shelf space, endcap, and stand-alone spaces. This brief is focused on identifying solutions that can be piloted in USA cities.

Relevant Domains May Include, But Are Not Limited To:

  • Alternative fulfillments (e.g. delivery, last mile, micro-fulfillment)
  • Automated solutions (e.g. picking, delivery)
  • Alternative retail formats and models (e.g. pop-ups, in-transit)
  • In-store digital solutions (e.g. cashierless checkout, immersive yet contactless)
  • Lean, agile, innovative in-store physical tools (display, endcap, etc.)
  • Shopper and retailer safety solutions
  •  

The Ask: P&G is looking for services and solutions that help solve the day to day pain points of the urban shopper and retailer and can disproportionally advantage P&G brands. If you have ideas and supporting technologies, that you believe can help deliver disruptive services & solutions to this challenge, we want to hear from you. Where there is a good fit, we are looking to drive agile in-market pilots with the goal of scaling successful services & solutions. All ideas and submissions will be fully reviewed.

Process Overview:

  • Complete the P&G Innovation Brief Response Form - see link above.
  • All responses will be reviewed, and you will be notified as to whether the response has been accepted for further consideration.
  • If accepted, you will be contacted by a Pilot44 Research Analyst to schedule a meeting to present additional detail on your company and solution as well as, where applicable, to provide a demonstration of your product.
  • If contacted for next steps, additional detail on the client needs will be provided during at that time, as well as additional information on the review, selection and reward process.
  • You can send any specific questions to submissions@pilot44.com
  • Process Overview:
    • Complete the P&G Innovation Brief Response Form - see link above.
    • All responses will be reviewed, and you will be notified as to whether the response has been accepted for further consideration.
    • If accepted, you will be contacted by a Pilot44 Research Analyst to schedule a meeting to present additional detail on your company and solution as well as, where applicable, to provide a demonstration of your product.
    • If contacted for next steps, additional detail on the client needs will be provided during at that time, as well as additional information on the review, selection and reward process.
    • You can send any specific questions to submissions@pilot44.com

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