inStorebuyer - April 2012 - (Page 26)

Ahead of the Digital Curve Grocery chains adopt online ordering as the practice grows in popularity. by John Unrein We were supposed to be flying in cars by now. And tonight’s dinner was going to come out of nifty compartments in the wall, like we used to watch on Star Trek. Technology seems to have a funny way of teasing us, prompting illusionary dreams of effortless travel, shopping and dining. Life is supposed to be getting easier – right? – thanks to all the slick advances of modernization and technology. Well, easier may not be accurate, but our lives are assuredly different. For instance, how many of us don’t walk around every day with a phone stuck to our palms? We all do. And so do your bakery and deli customers. That’s why it is so important to read on. Consumers talk, text, surf, browse and update their status constantly while they go about their daily lives. So why wouldn’t they shop for bakery and deli foods online, using a mobile app on their smart phone? A new study by The Integer Group reveals that shoppers ages 45 to 49 are purchasing more food and beverage products online than any other age group. This may sound a bit surprising, but not when you consider households with children are desperately seeking out simpler options to get food on the table for their families. According to MyWebGrocer, the fastest-growing categories in online grocery sales are dairy, snacks, breakfast, ingredients, meat and seafood, and produce. Bananas and grapes are two of the most popular foods people buy online. All age groups in the Integer Group study reported this year they are shopping more online and shopping more often in general, contrary to last year’s survey when most people said they were doing more online shopping but less shopping overall. People are back in the buying mood. The economy is picking up, and the jobless picture is improving. It makes sense for retailers like Walmart to be testing new online grocery shopping programs (starting in San Jose, CA). Online grocery sales in the US rose 11.6% year-over-year in 2011, compared with 2.5% growth for instore sales, according to data from MyWebGrocer. In Philadelphia, where people spend an average of 30 minutes commuting to work, online grocer Peapod is testing a new transit advertising campaign to spread the word about its mobile app for Philadelphia residents. Commuters simply scan the QR code listed in the ad to get the Peapod app, use the barcode icon to | 26 | inStorebuyer | April 2012 |

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of inStorebuyer - April 2012

inStorebuyer - April 2012
The Fresh Factor
Contents
Front Line News
Dairy-Deli-Bake 2012 Preview
Food Service Retail
Baking & Decorating
Bakery Development
Deli Development
Ahead of the Digital Curve
Cornhusker Proud
Sprout Safety
Grains & Fibers - Health & Nutrition
Know Your Cheese - Cheese Corner
Product Trends
Product Trends
Product Showcase / Marketplace Network
Marketplace Network / Ad Index

inStorebuyer - April 2012