In the endless march toward greater and faster convenience in shopping across channels, Target announced that 60 outlets in five major markets will offer a same-day delivery service on in-store purchases, making it easier to get bulky items home to an urban dwelling.
Consumers are turning to app-based shopping for meal delivery ordering. A study by Toluna found that while a younger demographic tend to use app-based shopping, 50% of shoppers age 55 and older are considering using apps for grocery shopping. This infographic by Toluna highlights the findings of how customers are using apps to get meals delivered to their homes.
Going head-to-head with UPS and FedEx, which have owned the domestic space, DHL eCommerce, an arm of German logistics giant DHL, is launching a same-day delivery service in eight U.S. cities that some believe will have Amazon as a major client.
Best Buy reported a strong fourth quarter, increasing same-store sales 9% over the previous year and boosting online comp sales by 18%. The company also made improvements to its BOPIS program and is testing an app feature that lets customers notify associates when coming to pick up a large item.
In a smaller version of December’s Target-Shipt deal, Dallas-based grocery chain H-E-B is acquiring Favor Delivery of Austin, an app-based service with access to 50,000 “runners” across Texas.
As it continues to integrate its Whole Foods acquisition and deal with pullback in Amazon Fresh, Amazon is reportedly looking to consolidate that service with its Prime Now same-day delivery offering.
Walmart subscription bulk buying subsidiary Sam’s Club is rolling out an Amazon Prime-like service offering unlimited free shipping on nearly all items for its Plus members at $100 a year, $1 more than Prime charges, with no minimum order threshold.
Whole Foods just started offering free two-hour delivery for Amazon Prime members in four markets last week and the service is already starting to take off, at least in Austin, TX. See what else is cooking in the hot e-grocery sector.
