Englewood–The steps involved in purchasing staples to keep a family running are often complicated. Making shopping lists, choosing what everyone likes, and then carrying, moving items into cars, out of cars, and down to basements for storage are just some of the maneuvers involved. Since many families have two working parents, there’s not a lot of time for shopping either, so wouldn’t it be smarter to automate this, and to have everything delivered? And by the way, those cases of water and soda are very heavy!
Ari Korman, with his brothers Brian and Andy Agus, recently founded a company called scan2ship, one that aims to bring a convenient, fun and simple shopping experience into the home, by providing easy delivery of products people need each day. The company makes use of QR Codes, which are the coded squares present on most consumer products, to make it a snap to order items and have them delivered, all within 24 hours.
scan2ship’s first product offering is SodaScan, a mobile app and OR code poster which enables consumers to purchase the exact items they want from the comfort of their own home. “Our company combines the technology of the smartphone app with the selling of physical material,” said Korman.
Korman, whose business background includes working with his father in private equity, grew up in Englewood, attended the Moriah School, Ramaz and NYU. He recently moved back from Israel where he worked at the Bet Elazraki Children’s Home for children at risk in Netanya.
“The ability to have a static image convert to digital on your device is a way for consumers to interact with and purchase products in a way they have never experienced before,” said Andy Agus, who, in addition to being a co-founder of scan2ship, is a student at the Parsons School of Design.
The poster provides a selection of widely popular beverage items, with their corresponding QR codes. Consumers can scan the QR code and order items without fuss, for the most competitive price around. Starting initially with water, carbonated and non-carbonated beverages and other essentials, SodaScan is available in Englewood, Teaneck and the surrounding areas immediately and then will be available in other Northern New Jersey towns by the first quarter of next year. The poster itself also has a whiff of the high tech about it: “We use a unique static cling material so they can be put up anywhere without leaving a mark,” said Korman.
The technology behind scan2ship powers consumers’ ability to order things without having to go through a number of steps, such as the ones available currently with many online shopping experiences. Amazon provides hundreds of different options for how to buy something, which results in the well-known economic concept of the paradox of choice, said Korman, in which people don’t buy because there are simply too many choices. “What people really want is a cold case of Diet Coke, or whatever they normally drink, in their fridge,” he said.
Korman told JLNJ that the company’s start-up research and development has been primarily funded by friends and family, and that the company has spoken to a variety of different potential customers, logistical partners and stakeholders from all walks of life. As the concept has taken hold, the group has been taking meetings with an even larger variety of future partners, and plans to seek venture capital funding to expand on a greater scale next year.
For now, the company plans to use Englewood, Teaneck and the rest of Northern New Jersey as a testing ground for further expansion, and that’s why all transport, warehousing and logistics will be handled by a hyperlocal salesforce. “We want to get our product up and running and build our customer base before we pursue venture capital,” he said. As such, the business also aims to exist as a service provider to the community, seeking to give the best possible price with the most convenient and free shipping service available. “In terms of price, SodaScan will be much cheaper than Fresh Direct or Amazon Shopping, which isn’t even available here yet, and competitive with Costco, but without all the shlepping,” Korman said.
“Our concept is that our sales force is entirely based in the community, and as we expand, it’s important to us that we continue to use a sales force that understands the unique needs of their communities,” he said. In addition, as a community organization, a portion of sales each month will go to a different charitable cause each month, Korman added.
Korman said he is confident in the product’s success, because of how consumer buying habits have changed and continue to change over time. For example, with Zappos, people buy shoes online and bring them into their homes, but then go through a number of items before they settle on the one they like, because of their free return policy,” he said. Much more of the shopping experience will automate, because shopping from home can’t be beat. “We think we are really on to something,” he said.
Agus is quick to agree: “The shopping market is definitely trending towards new waves of interaction, merchandising and purchasing. scan2ship is at the forefront of this market and through innovation is committed to continuing to enhance the consumer shopping experience,” he said.
The company’s third co-founder is Brian Angus, a senior at the Ramaz School. All three live in Englewood.
To learn more, go to http://www.SodaScan.com.
By Elizabeth Kratz
