COVID-19: Advanced AI App Lets you Cut the Line and the Human Contact
APP UNCOVERS RETAIL LINE-UP 'SWEET SPOTS' ACROSS CANADA
TORONTO, April 29, 2020 /CNW/ - Andie.work has made a major pivot to offer Canadians real-time, local lineup information for a variety of essential items. Originally set to launch as an AI virtual assistant, Andie exclusively includes real-time LCBO wait times … and now also includes pharmacies, grocery stores (lines, delivery, and curb-side pick-up), and medical clinic line times.
Andie uniquely offers this information from coast-to-coast across Canada and it is updated in real-time, with no information black outs. Andie has processed and provided 4,291 real-time waiting time predictions since going online on April 18. Andie now has support and real-time data for close to 4,000 liquor stores, beer stores, and wine stores across Canada. That includes 3,162 specialty stores under the LCBO, Sask Liquor, Beer Store, BC Liquor, and Wine Rack brand. By tracking the 144 major chains, Andie also provides line-up information on close to 50,000 grocery stores and pharmacies across the country.
The BEST AND WORST TIMES TO SHOP ACROSS CANADA ACCORDING TO Andie's AI:
1. Nationally:
a) Groceries: Best times to shop:
Currently, Andie has identified Tuesday afternoons between 1:30pm-3:45pm (local time) as the national sweet spot for the least lineup activity at grocery stores. The second-best time is Wednesday between 12:30pm – 3:30pm. These time frames will be updated as customer habits change to stay current as sunnier days approach.
Currently, the average wait time during these sweet spots is 12 minutes.
b) Groceries: Worst times to shop:
Thursdays between 4pm-6pm, Saturdays between 12pm and 3pm, and Sundays from 11am to 2pm are the top three busiest times and have the longest lineups.
c) Additional insights:
- The average wait time at small stores (under 12,500 sq. ft) like neighbourhood convenience stores, independent stores, and smaller cultural & specialty food stores, is 13 minutes at busy peaks on weekdays, and 39 minutes on weekends.
- Lineups move every 2 – 4 minutes on weekdays and 8-11 minutes on weekends.
- Big chain grocery stores and pharmacies have an average of 10-minute waits during low peak and 22 minutes during busy parts of the week. They can run as long as 48 minutes during the weekend busiest periods.
d) Busiest Stores (by name):
- Nationally, Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart are the busiest stores on the weekends.
- No Frills, Metro, Food Basics, Loblaws, and Sobey's are the most popular stores in Ontario.
2. Ontario/LCBO:
a) LCBO's Best time to shop:
LCBO's ideal time to shop, based on the historical data is Wednesday afternoons from 1pm – 4.15pm. Tuesday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm is the second quickest time both have wait times of only 2-6 minutes.
b) LCBO's Worst time to shop:
Friday and Saturdays between 1-5pm are the busiest times to shop, with the most lineups lasting as long as 32 minutes.
3. Best times to grocery shop (by city)
City |
Shortest Lineup Times |
Ontario: Downtown Toronto, Ottawa |
Tuesday afternoons 1:30pm – 3:45pm |
Ontario: GTA, London |
Tuesday afternoons 1:45pm – 3:00pm, Wednesday mornings 9:30 – 11:00am, Thursday afternoons between 2pm and 3pm, Saturday 6:15 – 7:00pm |
Ontario: Waterloo area |
Tuesday 2:00pm – 3:00pm, Wednesday 12:30pm - 3:30pm |
British Columbia: Vancouver |
Tuesday afternoons 1:30pm – 3:45pm |
Alberta: Edmonton and Calgary |
Tuesday afternoons 1:45pm – 3:00pm, Wednesday mornings 9:30 – 11:00am,
|
Manitoba: Winnipeg |
Tuesday afternoons 1:30pm – 3:45pm |
Saskatchewan: Saskatoon |
Tuesday 2:00pm – 3:00pm, Wednesday mornings 12:30pm – 3:30pm |
Atlantic Canada: |
Tuesday 2:00pm -3:00pm |
How does Andie work? Why is it more reliable than other lineup monitoring apps?
Andie uses all data and information points possible. The web app has recorded a massive amount information about how you and your neighbours shop, how many people live in your neighbourhood, the size of the stores in your area, how many people are allowed in each store (based on store size and 6-feet COVID-19 space restrictions,) the time of day, and the current weather. Using all of this information, Andie delivers a service that pushes you localized, real-time information about wait times and lineups in your neighbourhood.
Isn't lining up safe with the precautions retailers are taking?
According to front-line medical worker Julie Amar, Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (R. TCMP), Registered Acupuncturist (R. Ac), Qi Innovator and founder of Qi Knows Best, it may not be as safe as we think. "The risk of contracting COVID-19 or potentially infecting others increases markedly by exposure to more people while waiting in line, even if the 2-metre rule is being followed," said Amar. "I'm advising my patients to simply avoid staying in long line ups. The goal is to avoid more harm to your lungs and immune system by minimizing unnecessary exposure to the general population. If you can find a store where you can avoid a long line up, then it can become another form of immune defense!"
Additional Andie features:
Andie has a text service that recommends the best time to shop each day so that you can conduct your weekend or mid-week shopping with the least amount of worries. This service leverages on local shopping habits over the past week in your area. Andie's predictive information then provides optimal shopping times for you throughout the day.
Andie also has an added intelligence layer that ensures shopping time recommendations do not create harmful gatherings for users that are living in the same area.
Andie is free and currently online at Andie.work the Andie app will be available May first.
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About Andie.work
Andie was created to inspire a new category of on-demand personal concierge applications with a strong emphasis on using technology to gather information that is important to its users. Andie assists you like a real-life personal assistant for important tasks in your professional and personal lives.
SOURCE Andie.work
Patrick McCaully, Pointman News Creation, [email protected], www.pointmannc.com
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