Ever since I moved to the states I have become more domesticated which means that I have been going out less and less, so instead of eating in Dublin bars and restaurants, I am now subjected to shopping for food and cooking at home, which is quite alright I suppose.

However I have a choice of 2 immediate stores where I live, Busch’s and Kroger – that been said my favorite is Whole Foods but is much too far away for a pint of milk or a loaf of bread.

So my issue was in the past if I needed something in the store, it would be a simple exercise of walking aimlessly around the store, and picking whatever product had the best looking package or something I had a taste for – but now it includes getting ingredients for recipes that I have seen in books or on the web, and I am not accustomed to these items, nor do I know if I am getting the correct item.

My problem is I do not have a clue where in the store to get some of the items, and some items are not where you would expect them to be — for instance, if I make homemade pizza, I would expect the Turkey pepperoni to be beside the pasta sauces and flour etc… but it is not, the Turkey pepperoni is stuck away in a separate section near the greeting cards.

So my idea is to build Man maps for tech savvy men, that need to go shopping — but do not need it to cause blood sweat and tears. I am not a developer, but If I was I would build a application that would allow Men or Woman (although, most women that I have mentioned “Super Market Man Maps” too – do not seem to have the same cognitive disabilities when looking for herbs as I do etc…)

The Application Phase 1 (Tie into the stores databases)
Build an API that would tie into the Stores Food items database (I have to assume there is something in place, and I have to assume the stores know exactly where in the store their food items are located). The database would have a live update feature, so if the item was running low, or out of stock the website would alert you, and give you an alternative option such as similar product but different brand or a different local store.

//Alternately

The Application Phase 1.1 (if I have to do it manually)
Manually walk around the store and take note of all items, and enter them into a database that could be managed by someone in the store, so if an item moves or they get new produce the item locations could be updated on the fly.

User Site Flow

1. Register or Login in to site.
2. Pick your store by zip
   1. (If you do not know your Zip the site will have a locate me option (tied into yahoo fire eagle http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/)
3. Choose your store
   1. There will be a review section for the store (5 star rating), based on customer service, cleanliness, etc… to help the use choose.
   2. Users will have an option to pick healthy, organic, or normal stores etc…
   3. Choose your items Manually = Start with fruit and veg section and finish with Beer section.
      1. Example – the user can pick eggs, and the site will offer options based on the item, along with prices and customer reviews.
      2. Brown / White / Free Range
      3. 6 / 12 / 24 pack
   4. Choose your items Dynamically = By clicking the Recipe Button, this button will tie in with epicurious.com site, so you can search for a recipe such as “quiche” the site will automatically pick the items and populate your map / shopping list.
   5. Users can also click a button to get information on daily specials.
   6. Users will get an alternative cheaper / healthier option for each item they choose.
   7. Users will have a option to get driving directions to the local store in case they are in a location they are not familiar with.
   8. Click “Map It”
      1. Once the user clicks the map it button the application will work calculate…
         1. the location of the items.
         2. The order in which the user should get each item
         3. The location in the isle and the which shelf the item is on
         4. The approx cost of the items with tax included.
      2. The user will be given an option to print out the map or send it to their phone.
         1. If the user a chooses to send the map to their phone, they will get alerts from other location-based users.
   9. Once they have checked out, the user will be sent an email asking how their experience was.

Key Features

• API to www.epicurious.com so you can pick a recipe, and it will automatically populate a map with the items in the store, with directions and locations to those recipe items.
• The site will remember that you purchased non perishable items such as spices etc… so if you had purchased these items in the past it will tell you so you do not purchase them again.
• Tie into the check out database so the site can keep a total of how much you have spent and items you have purchased in the store.
• Text alerts — so if an item has just gone out of stock while you are driving to the store it will let you know.
• Integration with a location-based social network such as  http://brightkite.com/ so you can also meet others Super Market Man Map users that are in the store when you are.
• We will have a universal Man Map salute which is based on Al Bundy (Married with Children) the salute would involve putting your right band under your trouser belt and Nodding Once.
• I have assumed that a man would be using this site, but it could also have features and options customized for women too, with some user testing, we would work out what is most important to, Career Women, New Mothers, Mother with a few children etc… Also College Kids, and a version in Spanish.
• Advertising manager.

As mentioned I am not a developer, if I was I would build this application for personal use. Could this application be built  — yes, I think it could, would it cost a ton of money to do it right – Yes it would. so if Kroger or Busch’s come across this post please feel free to take my idea and run with it.