Kroger plans to build the second of 20 automated distribution centers in partnership with UK grocer Ocado for fulfilling ecommerce orders in Groveland, FL. The state-of-the-art FCs, built by Kroger and powered by Ocado’s automation technology, are just part of Kroger’s innovation push including driverless and same-day delivery.
As merchants search for ways to offer shoppers the convenient buying experience they desire, Amazon has reigned as a top choice. But navigating the increasingly complex web of ecommerce can be tricky. There are critical factors to review when choosing the best Amazon distribution model for your business.
Target reported a strong fourth quarter for ecommerce with digital sales up 31%, hitting $5 billion for the year, a five-fold increase since 2012. Overall comp sales were up 5.3% in Q4 on traffic growth of 4.5%, but revenue was flat at $23 billion.
Going the way of main rivals Walmart and Amazon, Target is launching its own third-party ecommerce marketplace, Target+, including a curated list of products from merchants that complement its own offerings in categories like home, toys, electronics and sporting goods.
FedEx is planning to test delivery robots this summer for customers including Walmart and Pizza Hut, while Target and AutoZone are looking at the capability, according to Reuters. The 10 mph robots would have to be approved by the city of Memphis. This is one innovative way companies are looking to cut last mile costs.
Despite the big push behind e-grocery, including significant investments in technology and delivery by major retailers such as Target and Amazon and mainline grocers such as Kroger, Ahold Delhaize and Albertson’s, the demand isn’t quite there yet, according to a recent survey from Mercatus.
Target is expanding its same-day delivery service via acquired unit Shipt, opening it up to all major categories of product in 2019 and continuing its efforts to keep customers from fleeing to Amazon Prime, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Throughout 2018, retailers focused on providing creative, interactive and friction-free shopping experiences for customers. In 2019, you can expect this evolution to accelerate, with personalization and obsessive customer focus at the heart, and new influencer marketing catering to a more individualized consumer experience.
Instacart, the same-day grocery delivery company used by many grocers, is dealing with customer ire as freelance shoppers fulfilling the orders are passing up some jobs due to a change in the pricing structures. Also a number of shoppers have taken to Twitter to call for a boycott of the service due to a drop in their wages.
Grocery giant Kroger is adding voice ordering to its online arsenal, interestingly hitching its wagon to the Google Assistant voice app and not to Amazon’s Echo, at six of its associated brands, the company announced. See what else Kroger is up to as well as other tech skirmishes in the escalating online grocery wars.