Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. is piloting PickUp lockers in select Chicago Jewel-Osco and Bay Area Safeway stores as the newest easy fulfillment option for e-commerce orders made through the company’s websites and apps.
The company already offers in-house delivery and Drive Up & Go options through its websites and apps and has partnerships with third-party operators to provide fast delivery options. Albertsons Cos., which reported a 276 percent increase in digital sales in its first fiscal quarter and continues to add Drive Up & Go stores throughout the country, is looking at all of the ways that it can make customers’ lives – and their grocery shopping – easier.
“Contactless PickUp through our state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled lockers makes it even easier to shop with us,” said Chris Rupp, EVP and chief customer and digital officer. “Whether customers choose to shop in our familiar neighborhood stores or through our websites and apps, we are ready to provide them with extraordinary service where and how they want to get their groceries. Our strategy to leverage technology and innovation to continue to grow our digital business is focused on creating products customers love that truly make their lives easier.”
Delivered by Bell and Howell, the PickUp lockers are modular, temperature-controlled and suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments. Individual columns in the modular setup can be adjusted dynamically to ensure specific temperatures required to meet the wide needs of a variety of customers’ online orders are maintained.
“We are excited to partner with Albertsons Cos. to help them deliver a convenient and contactless pickup experience for their customers,” said Larry Blue, CEO of Bell and Howell. “With our temperature-controlled grocery lockers, Albertsons Cos. customers can quickly and conveniently pick up their entire order, from heated to frozen food items, whenever and wherever they want.”
The PickUp lockers will first be available in select Jewel-Osco locations in Chicago and are expected to be installed at select Safeway locations in the Bay Area later in the year. Customers who live in neighborhoods with stores that feature the lockers will notice a new “PickUp” option when they shop on the store’s website or app.
Customers who select the PickUp option will be asked to select a time window to pick up their groceries. Once customers complete their purchase, they receive a unique code that they will use to quickly pick up their order from the self-serve lockers.
Albertsons Cos. operates 2,252 retail food and drug stores with 1,726 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. The company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs.
