Meijer introduces online custom cake ordering
A Midwest regional discount chain is letting customers have their cake and eat, too – with digital customization and ordering options.
Meijer is launching a new online custom cake ordering system. The retailer is rolling out this new omnichannel service in September based on birth data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Social Security Administration indicating that September is the most common birth month in the U.S., with nine of the 10 most popular birthdays falling between Sept. 9 and Sept. 20.
Meijer’s online cake ordering process takes four steps. Customers confirm the Meijer store where they would like their cake made in their online settings. Customers then browse and select a design from an assortment of hundreds of designs by occasion or theme.
Then, customers can customize their cake's size, flavors, colors and message. The custom cake will be ready in two to four days at the selected store for in-store pickup and payment.
The online cake ordering system isn't just for birthdays. The retailer offers cake designs for every occasion and in a variety of formats including tiered cakes, cupcake pull-apart cakes, and variety platters. Meijer says it hires seasoned cake decorators for each of its stores, and continuously trains its decorators in the newest, trendiest cake designs.
Meijer is not a newcomer to online pickup of digital orders. In October 2018, the retailer expanded its home delivery program with a pick-up option at stores across the Midwest. The service, called Meijer Pickup, is included as part of the company’s home delivery membership. As part of the membership, customers can order online, keep track of their total basket, note any preferences, choose between pickup and delivery, as well as a preferred delivery window. Customers receive a text from their personalized shopper when they begin creating the order, and are contacted when the order is ready to be delivered or picked up.
In 2019, Meijer implemented the Dematic microfulfillment solution, which is designed to help retailers address consumer demand for rapid online order fulfillment in a small footprint. Leveraging the Dematic solution, Meijer seeks to optimize the picking of goods in-store or from nearby fulfillment centers for delivery or customer pickup of online orders.
"With school just getting started and so many birthdays taking place in September, parents need all the help they can get, which is why we're pleased to offer this online solution," said Meijer cakes buyer Rochelle Bird. "The new online ordering system allows busy parents to order a cake from the comfort of their homes with just a few days' notice and then pick it up during their pre-party shopping trip."
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates more than 257 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. It has been a privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934.