OREM — Getting everything on your shopping list can be difficult when Coronavirus-related shortages hit grocery stores, but a new app made in Utah could help you find the items your looking for so you don't waste your time or money.
It Arrived lets you sign up for alerts on items that may have vanished from store shelves due to a shortage.
Hyrum Oaks, the CEO of It Arrived said, "As different items, whether it be meat or some other product, has shortages due to closures and infection, whatever the case may be, our app, in seconds we can add different items so it’s very easy for us to adapt as the market has new problems or challenges."
Oaks and his team put this app together with the hope of helping anyone who can't find something at the grocery store.
"It’s not by SKU, or size, or brand. It’s just generic, like if we’re out of pork for example, and pork has now arrived, the store clicks a button and everyone that’s subscribed to that store will get an alert," said Oaks.
The app's creator says he came up with the idea after his businesses couldn't provide the service they used to due of the Coronavirus outbreak.
"Being in the registration and ticketing industry right now is tough and so not only did we want to solve a problem for consumers, but we also wanted to have something else for our developers to do in a new problem that exists that didn’t use to exist," said Oaks.
So far, 10 stores have joined the It Arrived app including:
- Reams – Salt Lake City
- Reams - Cottonwood Heights
- Reams - Taylorsville
- Reams - Kearns
- Reams - Magna
- Reams - Sandy
- Kohler’s Food Store - Lehi
- Days Market - Provo
- Edgemont Pharmacy – Provo Payson Market - Payson
The app and user account are free but there is a subscription fee of $2.99 for the first store, and 99 cents for each additional store added.
There's no long-term commitment required for the It Arrived app seeing as subscribers can cancel at any time.
Oaks said, "There are a number of stores that are considering it and as the shortages become dramatic, I’m sure more stores will adopt the solution."
It doesn't cost stores anything to get on the app and they can sign up on the website.
It Arrived first launched with Utah stores, but plans are underway to get retailers in additional states nationwide.
The app is available on both Android and iOS devices.
