Mar 14, 2007

Grocery To Go

Why wouldn't most grocery stores of the future (or today) have a service where you could hit their store web site and look at every inventory item they stock -- every single Mac & Cheese box to toilet paper roll. Heck, they already know exactly what they've got from the inventory and checkout systems. You place that system online on a store web site for the public to search and select the items they're abut to shopping for. Except this time, you make a grocery list, but I make it at the office before I leave work and gets sent to a store clerk. Heck, they've got a million of them too running around straightening store shelves, why not have them take your online-produced list, grab all the items you're about to pick up, and have them waiting for you to settle up and load into your car when you pull up?

I know there are online grocers/delivery services that already do that, but I'm talking your local, neighborhood store chain -- you still have to go get it, but what a time-saver. Just put some kiosks at the storefront like an airline check-in and forget about the aisles. I hate rolling through the store aisles because I always end up doubling and tripling-back for stuff I forgot in an aisle I've already passed -- four times. I wonder what a breadcrumb trail of me through the store on average grocery shopping trip would look like...

2 comments:

cblukens said...

How 'bout you pay online and get a confirmation number - which you present at a drive-up window/loading dock. But a good point - it would reduce wear and tear on there facility as well and ,I would think, cheaper to operate. We have delivery options here (Peapod), but its still not as convien. as the idea you offer here.

cblukens said...

How 'bout you pay online too and get a confirm. number used in the drive-up. We have a delivery service (Peapod) but its still not as convien. as the idea you've put forth here. I would think it would be more cost effective for the grocer as well...