Aldi Online Delivery Set to Shake Triad

With the rise of online grocery ordering systems, it was only a matter of time before grocery stores and supermarkets across the Triad started opening up virtual delivery models, as well. Thanks to the proliferation of ecommerce sites into this once hands-on only platform, industry giants including Aldi can extend their services to include a digital branch.

Such is the case at the Greensboro Aldi, where shoppers can now use the popular Instacart platform to stock their online shopping cart full of essentials. Those items are then delivered directly to their doorstep in only an hour’s time. If the order caps out at $35 or higher, there is no delivery charge, and the only requirement to utilize the service is that the summed total of the items equal more than $10. For orders less than $35, delivery fees are set by the distance traveled and the delivery window used. Along the same lines, online delivery capability is determined by the store’s operating hours. In short, you cannot order items when the brick-and-mortar store is closed and expect to receive them in that expected one-hour turnaround timeframe.

Instacart began in San Francisco as a small grocery delivery service. It now has more than 300 employees who work for the company full-time, as well as thousands of shoppers who work for the brand on a part-time basis as personal shoppers. The service is currently only available in 20 states, with plans to expand across the country in the near future. The founder, Apoorva Mehta, created more than 20 startups before creating the platform. Ultimately, he drew upon his experience as a young professional living in the city with no transportation and the grocery shopping dilema it caused him, to generate the idea behind a delivery service that took care of just that.

This offering is new to the Triad, though it has been implemented by Aldis around the country in various stages. Many times, new customers to the service can receive a promotional code off their first offer to help get them interested in the service and encourage them to share their experiences online and in person with their friends and family members. All new signups also get free delivery on their first order.

Visitors to Aldi stores around the Triad might have noticed that many are receiving or have already received aesthetic and operational facelifts in the recent months. This is all part of a larger, ongoing effort by the discount retail giant to accelerate the growth of its more than 1,800 nationwide stores to 2,500 by the year 2022. In all, the project is costing the brand around $5 billion. As renovations and expansions like this occur, it’s no wonder why Aldi continues to make the lists of the top workplaces in areas around the country.

Triad shoppers who frequent Harris Teeter, Whole Foods or Costco may already be familiar with the way Instacart operates, as these chain grocery stores have already implemented the service in many of their locations. While Instacart is popular within the food service industry, other retail megaspots, including Target, rely on a similar platform known as Shpit to bring their tech-savvy customers the ultimate delivery experience.

With more than 40 million customers making the trek to Aldi each month, it stands to reason that this new online delivery feature will only improve the brand’s standing among local consumers. Customers who visit the platform will appreciate its usability and simple layout. Food is organized by category and a single click on its picture will reveal myriad more details including the Nutrition Facts label, prices and similar items to check out. There are even categories for those searching for organic, vegan and specialty items to make the process easier.

For now, only Greensboro zip codes can utilize the service, meaning those in High Point or Winston-Salem can eagerly anticipate when the delivery tool will be available in their area. This gives shoppers one more reason to keep their business local, shop healthy for their family and meal plan from the comfort of their own home.