Subscription eGroceries – Click and Pick

Much like the ‘save icon’ represents a floppy disk, something most of us haven’t seen in physical form since the early 2000s, the same fate may be headed for shopping trollies and baskets. We can’t deny that changing lifestyles and the pandemic have brought food shopping online more than ever. And now, we’ll look at some companies utilising subscription and automation to make grocery shopping even easier.

The Weekly Shop

Shopping for food and groceries is one of the necessary, if somewhat repetitive, motions of adult life. The way we’ve shopped has continuously changed with society, and today’s shopping is no different.
Our lifestyles mean that we have less time for shopping, and with more of us working from home it’s easier to simply get shopping delivered. We’re also becoming more conscious of our shopping and opting for smaller, independent makers.

Digital Trolleys

Because of these changes, and of course due to the pandemic, we’re seeing people turn to online shopping for their groceries. While we’re used to the idea of shopping through the online versions of our supermarkets, it’s becoming popular to order individual and specialty items online from smaller sellers.
This style of shopping goes hand-in-hand with subscriptions. If you’re buying regularly, it’s easier to simply have the items being delivered without the admin of shopping. As we discussed in our recent webinar (watch it here), subscription models can be risky depending on your strategy. But done right, subscriptions can make consumers’ lives easier and provide a solid sales model and ROI for brands.

Sites Doing it Right

So, who’s leading the industry in ecommerce for groceries? We’ll take a look at some great examples below:

1. Riverford Organic Farmers

Riverford Organic Farmers provide local, organic, farm-fresh food to households across the UK. Their ecommerce site is where customers can find the best picks of the month, and find out all about the produce they’re buying.
One of the best features – other than the high-quality produce, getting to know the growers, and sustainable efforts – is the flexibility and variety of options. Whether you need a weekly box, monthly box, or just want to try once, there’s options to suit everyone. Individual items can also be purchased along with a variety of boxes and meal kits, so buyers don’t have to commit to one type of subscription.

2. Eat Me Guilt Free

Bold, punchy, and protein-packed – Eat Me Guilt Free is serving nutritious snacks to online shoppers. Where traditional supermarkets usually don’t stock a huge range of specialist, ‘workout goal’ foods, these fill the gap in the market – and in our stomachs.
They provide options for individual purchases, but also give a discount for those who subscribe. For those who regularly need their protein fix, having a scheduled delivery means they can live their lifestyle with ease.

3. Tesco Online Groceries

While this is the ecommerce channel of a traditional supermarket, Tesco has been rated as one of the best. With a great range of products, organisation into relevant categories, and smart search features, it’s a great place to buy groceries online.
For frequent shoppers, Tesco offers an option to subscribe and save on delivery prices. And as you shop, your frequent purchases are saved so you can quickly add them to your basket. AI and predictive features help shoppers find what they need before they even search.

4. Farmison & Co

Many consumers are starting to lose confidence in supermarket meat. The lack of clarity on its sources and uncertainty over quality is creating a desire to go back to traditional butchers. Farmison & Co brings the quality meats to the web and makes them accessible.
Offering a variety of meats, including seasoned and pre-prepared packs, customers can either make a one-time purchase or subscribe. Farmison & Co provide rich information on all of their products, from the source and heritage to how each item should be stored and cooked. With options to suit all lifestyles and needs, buying high quality, cared for meat is easier than ever before.

5. Rave Coffee

‘Work from home’ life brought many difficulties. A common problem, although a little trivial, was that people could no longer get to their local coffee shop. With this, many consumers started investing in coffee machines and new varieties of beans, and Rave Coffee is a great way for people to try new blends as well as getting their caffeine fix.
With options for single purchases, subscriptions, as well as different grinds, Rave turn WFH to CFH. It’s great to see their dedication to the ethical side of coffee as well. Whether in the practical sense of providing eco-friendly packaging or their 1% pledge paying back to the planet, Rave’s coffee ecommerce site is something to rave about.

Checking Out

So, we know that the convenience and choice available means online food shopping isn’t going away any time soon. Subscription services can be great for regular buyers getting what they need without having to think about it. But the best services are flexible and give customers a range of options to fit their unique needs.
Want to learn more about creating an ecommerce site for food? Click here.