Omnichannel

The delivery wars continue to heat up as Target Corp. announced it was rolling out its next-day delivery service of household essentials, Target Restock, to eight new markets.  

Albertsons Cos. has become the first national grocery retailer to acquire a prepared-meals company.   The nation's second largest supermarket chain is acquiring online meal company Plated in a deal that is expected to close later this month. The move taps into Americans' growing demand for meal delivery services and also shores up Albertsons' defenses against Amazon, which has become a key player in grocery with its acquisition of Whole Foods Market.    

Wayfair now allows Apple iOS 11 users to visualize 3D furniture and décor in their home before they buy it.   The furniture e-retailer’s “View in Room 3D” app is now available on Apple’s on iOS 11 platform. Supported by Apple’s ARKit augmented reality technology, the app is now accessible on iPhones and iPads.   

If traditional supermarket retailers want to become online destinations for grocery, they need to step up their digital shopping experiences.   In fact, shoppers rated their overall satisfaction ordering food and grocery items online highest with Amazon (4.63 on a five-point scale where five is highest), followed by Walmart (4.41). Supermarkets/food stores trailed behind with a rating of 4.32.  

Aldi is making it easier for customers to pay for purchases.   The fast-growing deep-discount grocer now accepts all forms of contactless payment, including Apple Pay, Google Wallet and Android Pay. All options are available across Aldi’s nearly 1,700 stores nationwide.   Shoppers can pay for their groceries by tapping their contactless-enabled bank card, smartphone or other wearable device on a dedicated payment terminal.   

Nearly all shoppers will be shopping a variety of channels this holiday season.   Ninety-six percent of shoppers plan to make a purchase from a retailer who has both a physical and an online presence, with 40% of them buying online and picking up in-store, according to a report by the International Council of Shopping Centers. And 81% of those shoppers plan to make additional purchases when collecting their item(s).  

Target Corp. is making it easier for customers to find their way around its stores — and to quickly find what they are looking for.   The chain is integrating beacon and Bluetooth technology into its mobile app. It will show the shopper’s location in real-time on the app's map as they move about the store, and display nearby Cartwheel deals. Shoppers will also be able to find an item on the map through their digital shopping list.