“The ease, value, and convenience of click and collect will prove to be a sticking point for consumers and a trend that will persist long after the pandemic ends,” Liu said.
Retailers have ramped up delivery efforts and improved the customer experience
Over the course of the pandemic, retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Instacart, Kroger, Target, and FreshDirect have kept up with increased demand. Many opened up more delivery windows, offered express delivery, and expanded their online selection of grocery items.
FreshDirect, for example, received a surge of orders from existing customers who had moved out of New York City, where the online grocery operates primarily. In response, the company expanded its delivery services in Connecticut and in New York’s Westchester County and Long Island to meet demand.
“We feel you don’t have to sacrifice speed or convenience for great quality—you should be able to have all three,” Tim Knoll, COO of FreshDirect, recently told eMarketer. “As we move forward, that speed and convenience becomes even more important.”