Living in the digital era, consumers are accustomed to having online shopping options for everything from electronics to socks. Customers are now able to restock their fridge and pantry at the click of a button and have it delivered right to their doorstep! Last year, same-day grocery delivery saw a 500% increase in growth and sales with major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Kroger paving the way.
The trend doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon. Here are the top 3 reasons your grocery retail business should offer grocery delivery services:
1. Reach More Customers
Grocery retail is not going anywhere, however, where customers choose to shop may be heavily influenced by whether grocery delivery is an option. Here’s why:
Delivery is convenient. In today’s struggle to juggle work/life balance, many don’t have extra hours per week to spend strolling the aisles of the grocery store. Groceries that can be dropped off while still at work or shortly after save time and energy that can be better spent elsewhere.
Online shopping carts are convenient for all, but they may be a necessity for some to be able to lead a comfortable lifestyle. For the housebound elderly or those living city life without access to personal transportation, grocery delivery may be their only access to fresh food. Offering grocery delivery services allows you to reach customers you couldn’t normally attract if they had to physically visit your store.
2. Satisfy Customer Demands
Staying in-line with industry trends is an important part of running a grocery store, especially when it comes to offering what customers desire. Today’s customers are all about fast and convenient solutions to everyday tasks, and when the calculations are all factored, grocery delivery attracts customers because it saves time. Most major grocery chains offer online ordering and delivery services, so in order to remain competitive in the market, you run the risk of lost business without delivery options.
3. Grow Grocery Profit Margin
Even with most services being done at cost due to the investment in labor and technology needed, revenue from these services is still there to be made. Major retailers invested more than $28 billion in grocery ecommerce last year and it’s only expected to increase from there.
Not only does grocery delivery service increase sales with the added convenience for current customers, it attracts new customers. Once a customer signs up and creates their profile with you, they rarely switch to another delivery service. Happy loyal customers mean more sales for your business.
With grocery delivery services, customers are actually spending more. In fact, the average basket size is approximately 30% higher with grocery delivery than with in-store purchases. This may be due to not needing to transport larger items you wouldn’t buy if you had to carry them, or worrying about the trunk space to buy in bulk. At the end of the day, your customers are saving ample time and resources to get their groceries—which in turn results in happy, loyal customers and more profits for your store.
Grocery delivery services are here to stay. Don’t lose business to other grocery retailers, start offering delivery today! Contact Auto-Star to discover the online ordering and delivery solutions that can take your grocery store to the next level.
