We’ll forgive grocery shopping service Peapod for their tacky website because they’re on the cutting edge when it comes to streamlining the old cart-and-aisle food purchasing process. In October, the US’s leading Internet grocer bought advertisement space at train stations in Boston, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Instead of static ads, they set up “virtual aisles.”
The futuristic aisles look kind of like your average ad, but with QR codes and the free Peapod app, commuters can point, shoot, and have their groceries delivered to their house, all while they’re waiting to catch the train to work.
“Getting your groceries on the way home from work just got a whole new meaning,” Peapod COO Mike Brennan said in a statement. “With schedules that are more demanding than ever and people spending 200+ hours a year in transit, our hope is that consumers will take advantage of our virtual stores and mobile app while they’re on the go and enjoy the time saves when they’re at home.”
The concept’s not new: last year in South Korea, British grocer Tesco launched a virtual grocery store in a subway station. Peapod is initiating the movement in the States, however, and Peg Merzbacher, Peapod’s director of marketing, told Mainline Media News that their response in Philadelphia has been so good that, “We don’t have enough service to keep up with the demand.”
Convenience, after all, is king. Though Peapod’s minimum order requirement is $60.00 and delivery costs extra, it seems users are willing to shell out for one less commute to their local market. Given Peapod’s initial success, will more grocers start transitioning to an online and delivery-based model?
Let us know what you think, especially if you’re in the business. And, of course, we’ll continue to keep you apprised on the latest tablet integration and innovation.
Image via 2d code
