TeamMany industries are changing due to the rapid technological advancements that we are experiencing. And since so many services are intertwined, they grow in an exponential manner.
Grocery delivery services are definitely included in this category and are quickly changing. In fact, one could argue they are pretty late to the party since pretty much everything is deliverable these days. But now that they decided to invest in this practice, they are evolving at an insanely high rate.
Even though it is finally happening, many think it is just a trend created by Uber Eats and similar companies. Both Amazon and Uber have been trying to contest the grocery delivery sector, and many supermarkets have also started their own delivery system. So, at first, no one was interested in that kind of service and now everyone is trying to grab a piece of this market. But is this a trend? Absolutely not and let me tell you why.
Grocery pickup versus delivery
The first innovation in this industry was the pickup system. And, sure enough, it was a hit. Nowadays, people want to save time, avoid lines and enjoy their free time. Who wants to work ten hours and, in the end, go shopping for an hour or two, dealing with endless lines and large groups of people? Not many, I bet.
Thus, the grocery pickup service was born and how great it is, right? Sit back, do your shopping from your couch and pick them up later or the day after. No more issues. Now, if the pickup service is the overwhelming success that it is, how can we even think about saying that the delivery service is a trend? It will most likely be the future of grocery shopping.
Companies will carry on investing in deliveries of all kinds since they are pretty much inexpensive for them and it incentivizes shopping in general. Can you imagine receiving your monthly groceries as you do when you order pizza? The hours and hours people will save… it is insane.
Mentality shift
Another reason that ensures that groceries delivery is not a trend is the shift in mentality that is happening right now. People are becoming more aware of wasteful practices, of their time, of the environment and getting better at using technology to improve their quality of life.
Having a delivery company taking care of groceries is far more practical and efficient than hundreds of people going shopping daily. They automate and create efficient plans that ensure minimal waste for everyone.
Also, while a few years back people were not so mindful of their time, now they are. There is a new mentality on the rise focused on time, as in, time is our most valuable resource, which is absolutely true. So, companies try and try to be respectful of their client’s time and the ones that succeed are constantly growing (Uber or Amazon for example). Anything that offers us more free time is not going to stay a trend, it is the future.
The first delivery barrier
The grocery delivery service is not more widespread for one single reason – people’s resistance to trying out new things. When a new service appears, we try to fight it back, chalking it off to a trend that will pass. This also happened during the transition from takeaway to delivery. Food delivery felt like a trend that would not last, and people kept going out to buy their meal and come back home to enjoy it. While that still happens today, it is not as common now since food delivery is better in almost every way!
All it takes is that one first time. How many times were you resistant about trying something new and after trying it you felt silly for not trying it sooner? It is exactly the same here and it is quite common. We do not like change but this is a clear example that we should embrace change every now and then.
Final thoughts
We want convenience and more free time. There is no way that groceries delivery services are just a trend since they are a major quality of life boost. We are now seeing the transition into this type of service, which is why it does not feel “real” yet. However, it is only a matter of time before we are all ordering our groceries online.
On top of that, retailers and delivery companies want to see this happen. They want to be more reachable and available for their clients. Who knows, maybe in the future there are no physical grocery stores anymore!
