One of the biggest struggles families deal with is meal preparation. As any parent can tell you, planning a menu for a family, buying the groceries, and then actually cooking the food sometimes feels like a herculean task. To help make grocery shopping and meal prep a little easier, many families are choosing to use grocery e-commerce. Tools like online shopping and grocery delivery can be a big time saver for busy families. Some recent research from FMI backs this up. Their study found that 5% of all grocery shoppers primarily use online stores or e-commerce tools, but that percentage jumps to 15% if they have children at home.
As an independent grocery retailer, we know offering online grocery shopping or delivery may be difficult. Our retail marketing team is here to help you get started with these tools. We have partnerships with DoorDash, Instacart, eGrowcery, Homesome, and Freshop to make the process easier. You can learn more about these tools here. But adding online grocery shopping or delivery isn’t the only way to make your store more appealing to busy families. Here are some other tips you can try in your store.
- Offer in-store prepared meal options. Creating a quick dinner section in your store with in-store prepared meals is a great way to bring more families into your store. These quick dinner options are great for busy weeknights when families don’t have time to cook after work or between extracurricular activities.
- Be budget-friendly: Groceries are more expensive than ever, and it can be a struggle for families with high grocery bills. Focus on offering budget-friendly deals for the basic necessities families need.
- Create a welcoming family atmosphere. We all know kids can be loud, have temper tantrums, and make messes. It’s why parents find the in-store shopping process so stressful. You can make it easier for them by creating a welcoming atmosphere. You can offer kids free fruit or a treat, accommodate strollers, or offer priority parking. Little conveniences like this mean the world to families with young kids!
- Offer curbside delivery. If you can’t offer grocery delivery, try curbside delivery instead. This option is great for families, especially those with young children. They can pull up, call in, and get their groceries delivered right to the car.
Grocery shopping and meal planning is hard for a lot of families. Retailers that make the process easier for busy families will earn their loyalty. As an independent retailer, you want families shopping at your store. They spend the most money on groceries! So our advice is to follow these tips and brainstorm a few ideas of your own to make your store more appealing to busy families. Trust us, they will appreciate it!
