A FinTech App
Developing a grocery price comparison app to help students in Kitchener-Waterloo save money and time on their grocery shopping.
Student Grocery Price Comparison App
Helping students in Kitchener-Waterloo save money and time on grocery shopping through smart price comparison and location-based recommendations.
The Problem
Students in Kitchener-Waterloo face significant challenges when grocery shopping. With limited income, no vehicle access, and packed class schedules, finding affordable food becomes a weekly struggle.
Many students spend hours comparing prices across multiple stores, only to discover they've missed better deals elsewhere. Others settle for convenience at the expense of their budget, choosing nearby options that cost significantly more.
Transportation costs further complicate the equation. Traveling to a distant store for slightly cheaper groceries often negates any savings when accounting for bus fare or ride-sharing expenses.
Without a comprehensive way to evaluate the true cost-benefit of each shopping option, students make suboptimal decisions that impact their financial health.
Real-time analytics and price comparison dashboard
Our Solution
Our team is building a grocery comparison app that directly addresses these student problems with an easy tool that can be accessed through their mobile devices. The app features a dual-interface system:
Item Search Interface
Search for specific items to instantly see all available options from stores in the region, with a calculated score based on both price and distance from your location.
Shopping List Optimizer
Input entire shopping lists at once to identify which store offers the best overall value for your complete list, preventing the need to visit multiple locations.
Starting Features
Rating System for API
Product Images
Price Comparison
Product Names & Details
Ingredients List
Allergen Information
Brand Information
Distance & Store Locations
Technology Stack
Backend
SQL databases with Python for data processing and API integration
Data
Integration with grocery retailer APIs and web scraping for real-time price data
Frontend
React Native mobile interface for cross-platform compatibility
Current Status & Next Steps
Current Status
- • Building the database architecture
- • Refining the scoring algorithm
- • Designing the user interface
- • Testing API connections with local grocery data
Next Steps
- • Expand to more stores throughout Kitchener-Waterloo
- • Add features to help with overall student budgeting
- • Gather user feedback for continuous improvement
Get Involved
Interested in contributing to the Student Grocery Price Comparison App? We're looking for students with skills in development, data analysis, and user experience design.
Apply to Join