Supermarkets have taken huge steps in revolutionising the weekly shop and making it easier for customers to purchase their groceries, with popular methods including click and collect and door to door delivery proving extremely popular with UK consumers. However, this week Asda has revealed plans to take this dedication to customer satisfaction one step further by launching a click and collect service located in sites throughout the London underground network.
Asda has teamed up with Transport for London (TfL) in order to establish Grocery Click and Collect services in six underground stations. This means that commuters can now place their orders online before midday and collect them from 4pm as they travel home – leaving evenings and weekends free to be spent enjoying leisure activities rather than traipsing round the local supermarket.
Retail director for the supermarket chain, Mark Ibbotson, believes that this initiative goes a long way in helping Asda customers schedule the weekly shop into their busy lives.
He says; “Customers in the South East tell us that they want the prices and quality provided by Asda value but they can’t access it easily – this tie-up with TfL solves that.
“We’ve led the way in click and collect by bringing Asda to where customers are rather than expecting them to come to us: from park and ride locations to business parks, now London Underground station car parks are another significant step on that journey.
“We believe customers will value the convenience of collecting shopping at their home tube station rather than carrying the products bought in premium convenience stores on their commute home.”
Asda customers will be able to place their orders on a tablet, laptop or smartphone and collect their groceries from one of six participating stations: High Barnet, Highgate, East Finchley, Epping, Stanmore and Harrow and Wealdstone have been set as the trial stations. However, if the scheme proves to be a success, Asda hopes to extend the service across other areas of London and the South East.
The move ties in well with Asda’s five year strategic priorities, the finer points of which were set out earlier this month. One of the major issues facing the retailer is a lack of stores in London and the South East compared to its closest rivals – something which could easily be addressed by this click and collect service.
TfL is also excited about the opportunities provided by this new initiative as it believes it will make life easier for the thousands of commuters using the underground daily.
Director of Commercial Development at TfL, Graeme Craig, says; “The Asda trial for their click and collect services at six London Underground stations is great news for customers.
“Customers will be able to order their goods when they are out and about or even using our WiFi network on their daily commute.”
Would you be interested in making use of this service, or do you prefer to do your weekly shop in a supermarket or convenience store?
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