Grocery stores are increasingly turning to digital strategies - from mobile Apps to industry-specific ad platforms - to enhance their overall sales.
An example of the former is Whole Foods Market, which rolled out an iPhone App earlier this year and has now launched a version of its e-commerce site optimized for web-enabled mobile devices. The application makes Whole Foods' entire selection of more than 2,000 recipes recipes to iPhone and iPod touch users.
A Web Focus
Most of the new initiatives, however, concentrate on making stores' websites as accessible to online shoppers as possible, writes RetailerDaily. Supermarket retailer Giant Eagle, for example, has streamlined its site for easier navigation of store departments and added new customer-facing features.
A "Cooks" section features recipes, nutritional information, food and dining guides, and advice on food preparation. An "Entertain" section offers seasonally updated guides with entertainment advice, such as how to wrap holiday gifts, as well as a special order feature, community events calendar and gourmet products. A "Save" section offers special discounts, membership information for various loyalty and savings programs, private label products, and advice on saving money.
Giant Eagle customers can sign up to receive news, special offers and promotions from each site area, as well as register to build, save and update personalized online shopping lists.
Supermarket retailer Supervalu accompanied the recent launch of its Stockman & Dakota line of premium private-label beef with a dedicated web site that includes features such as instructional videos and nutritional and preparation. Meanwhile, Safeway supermarket banners including Tom Thumb and Randalls participate in the Cellfire mobile coupon network, allowing members of the two chains' loyalty club programs to automatically download coupons on their loyalty cards.
Grocery Ad Platforms
Hy-Vee has expanded the multichannel online service capabilities available on its web site. Customers are now able to shop the inventory of local stores, create shopping lists and locate coupons, among other online options.
Hy-Vee has also signed on with the Grocery Shopping Network, an industry specific ad platform whose reach has expanded to 6.2 million consumers monthly - up from 1 million a year ago - and more than 75 million impressions per month. Composed entirely of grocery-store websites, the Grocery Shopping Network providers participating retailers with tools to reach the consumers at the middle tier of independent grocers.
