IGA Cybermarket Moves into Second Generation

Marchands en alimentation Agora unveiled the second-generation version of its IGA Cybermarket site.

According to Agora, more than half a million dollars went into the project, significantly upgrading
the bilingual commercial Web site that now boasts 14,000 members and 10,000
visits every week.

The new site features clear photographs of each food product. Items can be
clicked and dragged to a virtual shopping cart at the bottom of the screen, the company stated.

A major innovation is the introduction of bar codes in the online shopping
process, Agora noted. Using an “InfoPen,” shoppers are able to scan the bar codes on
products in their own kitchens that they wish to add to the shopping list.
Then they simply plug in the pen and transfer the information to the IGA
Cybermarket site. About 100 bar codes can be stored in the pen at one time.

Marchands en alimentation Agora is a wholesale food distributor represented
in the retail market by affiliated grocers, who account for 20% of the
market in Quebec. These grocers operate under nine names, the most
well-known of which are IGA, Les Marchs Tradition, Bonichoix, and Boni-Soir
convenience stores. Agora-affiliated grocers (Quebec division) have combined
annual retail sales of approximately $3 billion.