Online Grocery Could Eclipse Shopping in Stores, Data Suggests
App downloads and intent to purchase are both soaring.
· less than 3 min read
Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know
Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.
Months ago, Amazon and Walmart tried luring shoppers to grocery delivery with speedy fulfillment and steep discounts. What they actually needed was a shelter-in-place order.
Wary of coronavirus exposure from the grocery store, shoppers are switching in droves from IRL to virtual carts.
- On March 22, 41% of shoppers said they were grocery shopping online, up from 11% on March 1, per CivicScience.
- By March 15, average daily app downloads for Instacart had surged 218% from the February average, per Apptopia. Walmart Grocery downloads increased 160%.
Sound familiar? Online grocery retailers in China recorded sales increases at the height of the country’s coronavirus outbreak.
Why it matters: Pre-pandemic, only 6% of U.S. adults had tried and liked online grocery shopping. Now, it’s up to 12%. That jump wasn’t from a major marketing campaign but from necessity.
I think the trend will last. Experts say it takes 21 days to build a habit—so by the time the sneeze guards come down at Wegmans, shoppers may be too comfortable with D2C (direct to countertop) grocery to go back.
I want to hear from you. Will coronavirus convince more Americans to use grocery delivery in the long term? Cast your vote here.
Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know
Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.