Grocery Delivery Service Instacart Raises $44 Million By William Alden Companies like Uber and Airbnb have prospered by allowing people to sell their services to strangers on a smartphone-powered network. Now venture capitalists are betting that a young start-up can use that principle to achieve success in the grocery business. Instacart, a two-year-old grocery delivery…
Information Savvy Consumers Will Benefit from New Online Unit Pricing
Six major retailers are going to make it easier for consumers to price shop. This feature, mandatory in stores, has not been in place for online shopping. Now price comparisons can be done without the math necessary to equalize the quantities. US: Six Major Retailers To Reveal Unit Pricing Online Six of the biggest retailers in…
Amazon’s Local Services Market Place Will Add Much-Needed Margin To The Bottom Line
Amazon’s Local Services Market Place Will Add Much-Needed Margin to the Bottom Line Summary Amazon already runs a market place with more than 2 million third-party vendors. Amazon needs to increase margins or they will continue to be punished by investors. Their product market place has reduced the impact of losing the sales tax exemption….
With an Amazon Smartphone, the Retailer Seeks a Tether to Consumers
With an Amazon Smartphone, the Retailer Seeks a Tether to Consumers By David Streitfeld Hold the phone: Amazon wants to burrow even deeper into your life. The retailer is expected to introduce a smartphone on Wednesday at an event in Seattle, a long-rumored project that aims to close any remaining gap between the impulse to buy and…
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot
No matter how often I say that to my microwave nothing happens. Yes, I am a Star Trek fan and I have visions of having a food replictor in my house. That day may be getting closer as 3D printers start producing food. The new Keurig cold solution and 3D printers will change consumer purchases…
Convenience, technology leading small-store push at Walmart
Convenience, technology leading small-store push at Walmart By Jon Springer Wal-Mart Stores will open more small stores than big stores in the U.S. this year, underscoring not only that more convenient concepts like Neighborhood Markets are outperforming their larger sibling Supercenters, but a concurrent companywide effort to use digital technologies to make those small stores behave…
Your Time is Money
How much will you pay to have someone do your shopping for you? Lots of new services will do your shopping for you for a fee. These are runner services that source people who are willing select and deliver your groceries to you. Most charge a fee and some upcharge the products. This is a…
Speed is the New Currency
Amazon and Walmart are making lots of big plays to ensure that they are well positioned to provide fast delivery to consumers. They are building distribution centers at an unprecedented rate, optimizing inbound transportation, and building last mile infrastructure. The race is on to provide the fastest possible delivery. You want it, you click, you…
Traditional American supermarkets are being eaten alive
Traditional american supermarkets are being eaten alive By Matt Phillips The grocery store business has never been easy, given its traditionally thin margins. But the last decade has seen a fundamental transformation of the food business as giant discounters such as Wal-Mart and Target cut into food sales. According to a recent note published by equity analysts…
Click & Collect – The New American Drive-Thru
Click & Collect operations have been very successful in the UK and Europe with retailers like Tesco and Auchon. This concept is expanding in the US with most retailers, like Walmart, Stop & Shop, and Hannaford, testing options. Click & Collect is one of the most cost effective solutions for retailers to provide a last…