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Many grocers, especially those who are competing  in large metropolitan markets, are really concerned about Amazon Fresh who plans to roll out online grocery ordering and delivery services around the country.  Today you can order fresh foods online and have them delivered tomorrow in Seattle, Southern California and Northern California.

Amazon Fresh may not be arriving soon in London, KY,  Mitchell, SD or anywhere in Wyoming in 2014 but consumers living in smaller markets know they can order online for next day delivery with Amazon Prime.

Amazon recently announced their new “Amazon Dash” device which consumers use to scan their pantries to build shopping lists.  They can also use the microphone on the device to add items to the shopping list.

Here’s a quick video showing how Amazon Dash works:

I’ve spoken with many grocers throughout the country who don’t seem concerned at all with the potential new competition from Amazon Fresh.

You need to decide if you’ll be impacted by Amazon Fresh and other online competitors but you may want to “ease” into the “at home shopping” business with some low tech solutions that can add incremental business to your store now.  Then, when you finally do decide to offer “online shopping” this “phone in” business can be naturally integrated. We currently work with providers who bundle “online shopping,” with telephone ordering….. and they offer the ability to use your smartphone (iPhone or Android) to scan your pantry to add to your online orders.

Who are potential customers for “phone in” orders? Those who are likely to prefer ordering via phone and willing to pay a premium for service.

• Consumers without computers
• Consumers who have computers but don’t want to navigate 20,000 items online
• Busy workers who would prefer telling someone what they want to order while they are multi-tasking
• Elderly- shut ins
• College students
• Consumers in “low bandwidth” regions
• Handicapped, vision impaired consumers
• Consumers undergoing physical rehabilitation

Hy-Vee, D’Agostino’s and other grocers feature “phone in” ordering

By offering the option of “phone in” ordering you’ll be able to tap into all generations and demographics.  Those that prefer the “high tech” solutions of using online ordering systems can do so but those that prefer to pick up a phone and ordering groceries as they’re driving to work can do so as well. HyVee and D’Agostino NYC both offer online ordering and “phone in” ordering through Hometown Grocers.  Hometown Grocers has a staff of customer service representatives who take phone orders on Mondays through Fridays from 7 am to 5 pm CST.

Hometown Grocers tell me that the volume of phone in orders continues to grow although conventional wisdom would lead you to believe that phone in orders might decrease over time. If you have any interest in learning more about “at home shopping” options available to you, just contact me:  click here to send me an email  .

Your food wholesale partner and MSC are working together to provide you the best available options and to help you choose the appropriate at home shopping partner.  If you’re interested in learning more – just contact us. No matter who you may choose to partner with we’ll be able to help you integrate their system into your website.

July 2nd Update on Store Challenge to “Double Your Database” by Sept 15

Participate in the MSC Challenge and you can win one of four  prizes including

12 weeks of free “Special Dealivery” eBlasts for your store
  

Here’s the 4 categories and corresponding prizes we’re awarding this Fall:

• Largest increase in new email addresses from April 15 to September 15 for any store with  1- 250 total email addresses as of  April 15:Award: 12 Free Customized “Special Deal-ivery eBlasts” for Oct through Dec 2014.  This is a $420 value to the winning store.
• Largest increase in new email addresses from April 15 to September 15 for any store with  251- 750 total email addresses as of  April 15:Award: 12 Free Customized “Special Deal-ivery eBlasts” for Oct through Dec 2014.  This is a $420 value to the winning store.
• Largest increase in new email addresses from April 15 to September 15 for any store with  751 or more  total email addresses as of  April 15:Award: 12 Free Customized “Special Deal-ivery eBlasts” for Oct through Dec 2014.  This is a $420 value to the winning store.
• BONUS PRIZE: For any store who DOUBLES the number of addresses in their email database from April 15 to September 15th – you’ll get one FREE Special Deal-ivery eBlast if it is ordered for email delivery to their customers by Christmas 2014.

July 2nd Update of Leader Board for the three (3) groups, showing the top 4 stores leading each of the 3 groups. There’s about 10 weeks to go in our contest!

The 3 groups include stores in these categories for our contest:
Over 750 subscribers at start
Over 250 subscribers at start
Up to 250 subscribers at start