Pickup or delivery? Grocery shopping has never been easier. That’s why the number of U.S. consumers who are ordering groceries online has been climbing steadily in recent years. Over the past year, though, online grocery shopping activity has skyrocketed.
The rise in popularity of online shopping is due, of course, in great part to the outbreak of COVID-19. But that doesn’t mean that when the pandemic is over that consumers will go back to their former in-store shopping habits. Research shows that those who have tried ordering groceries online — for pickup or delivery —did so initially to reduce exposure to COVID-19 but later found it to be both a convenient and cost-effective way to get some or all of their groceries. That’s why Bank of America analysts predict global online grocery sales will continue to grow, reaching $705 billion by 2025. That’s triple the sales of 2019.
The takeaway for grocers? The popularity of online grocery shopping is here to stay and grocers must adapt by adopting a robust e-commerce strategy. Now. This isn’t a trend that can be put on the back burner or revisited at a later date. If your store doesn’t have a convenient online shopping program in place, you’re at a competitive disadvantage. It’s that simple. At UNFI Professional Services, we make it easy to have the type of e-grocery program in place that helps you satisfy customers and remain competitive.
We can help your store provide a seamless online shopping experience for your customers by offering food and non-food items at your set prices for convenient grocery delivery and pickup. We can help you set up an easy-to-use online ordering portal and a program that allows shoppers to pick up their groceries at your store or have them delivered.
Our solutions are among the best in the industry. We’ve partnered with eGrowcery, which provides independent retailers with an end-to-end suite of solutions that can help them personalize their online stores to suit the needs of their grocery business and their customers. With Freshop, your store can provide an intuitive grocery website and app that makes it super easy for your customers to order online, build shopping lists and much more. Consumers also are demanding same-day grocery delivery or in-store pickup, and with our partner, Instacart, you can provide that to them, too!
Is your online shopping program the best it can be? E-mail us at [email protected] to learn more about how we can help you gain a competitive edge in today’s fast-changing world.
