Over the past year, however, retailers have had to modify their in-store services to support customers who have been shielded or unable to leave their homes. Some have partnered with local taxi companies, takeout companies and home delivery apps to ensure their customers can get everything they need without going to the store.
Contactless purchases
Although today’s home delivery market is “saturated” with service providers, Julian Fisher, chief executive and founder of online grocery app Jisp, says even half of all retailers don’t offer home deliveries. The 2020 ACS Local Shop Report found only 17% of retailers offering grocery delivery. As we emerge from lockdown, retailers can expect to see footfall pick up again as people feel more comfortable shopping in person, but Fisher says ‘fear of touch won’t go away Before a long time”.
Retailers can therefore use “scan and go” apps to facilitate contactless shopping for affected customers. Fisher says that many retail service providers, such as Jisp, offer trial periods as part of their partnership agreements with various symbol groups, which can be beneficial for retailers looking to try out a new service for their customers.
Coffee on the go
Other in-store services have also become contactless. In 2020, Costa Express launched a touchless mobile ordering system on all machines, activated only when a customer is near a Costa Express machine. The service is available through the Costa Coffee Club app and offers customers a “more convenient way to order their Costa Coffee drink from their mobile phone”.
Retailers should also expect to see increased interest in the take-out food category coming out of lockdown, as the category has been in decline since the start of the pandemic. Retailers can prepare for this by tapping into the hot-to-go trend. Rustlers recently launched a suite of on-the-go dining solutions, including a branded microwave.
Self service
One Stop retailer Aman Uppal was the first in the UK to install one of Rustlers’ systems. He says more of his customers have asked for hot takeout in the past six months. “We wanted to include a unit where consumers could heat the products themselves to sit next to our Costa coffee machine and we felt Kepak had the best deal for a self-service solution.
“The numbers speak for themselves, but customers were also drawn to the brand unity. We had different types of buyers buying Rustlers that we had never seen before, from teenagers to seniors.
By Eilis Cronin
