Drive-through supermarket
Drive-through supermarket
Springwise reports that Tesco is testing drive-through delivery.
It says that retailers are experimenting with numerous different ways to blend online and off for their customers: Sears and French hypermarket chain E.Leclerc both offer curbside pickup of online orders, while Shutl and several others have been pushing the bounds of near-instant home delivery, and Tesco has launched what it calls a “drive-thru supermarket”.
Operating initially as a trial at Tesco’s Baldock Extra store in Hertfordshire, the new service lets customers order their shopping as usual on the Tesco.com website. From there, they choose a “Click and Collect” option and book a two-hour time slot for picking up their groceries.At any point during that two-hour window, they can drive up to a reserved area in the Tesco car park and show a staff member their shopping reference details. Without ever having to get out of their car, they can then sit back and relax while the Tesco team packs their groceries into the boot. A flat £2 picking and packing charge is simply added to the customer's shopping bill.
Tesco says that the service has been designed for shoppers who want their goods picked and packed but who do not have the time to wait at home for delivery. It aims to appeal to busy mothers and shopaphobes alike. Laura Wade-Gery, chief executive of Tesco.com and Tesco Direct, said: "This will be especially popular with busy mums who have the school run and children's activities to manage. It also offers a solution to parents who want to avoid the challenge of shopping in a busy store with children in tow." She said that Tesco also expects the move to prove popular with "young professionals".
During the trial, Tesco holds customers' groceries in a Tesco.com delivery van for collection; if it's successful, however, Tesco says it will explore possible ways of adapting its stores so as to make drive-through shopping a permanent feature.
Thursday, 16 September 2010 12:57