According to an L2 Insight report on grocery trends in the US, only 9 per cent of the American population purchase their groceries online, suggesting that in-store grocery shopping is still very prevalent despite digital innovations. However, since Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market earlier this year, big companies like Walmart and Costco noticed a decline in sales—indicating a certain ambiguity when it comes to investing in technology to increase a grocer’s lifespan.
As suggested by L2’s insight report, grocers must consider both organic and paid search visibility in order to compete with their competitors that prioritize digital shopping experiences. While consumers are more likely to purchase their groceries in-store, enabling online visibility provides a brand with potential customers and provides convenience. In order to increase a grocer’s search visibility, spending money on regional grocery terms, like “pasta,” will allow a grocer’s name to appear at the top of a search list for that particular region.
Along with developing search strategies, grocers must also consider implementing grocery delivery services to better serve their customers. This requires partnering with other platforms, or establishing their own program that meets the needs of their customers.
All in all, traditional grocers should implement digital trends as new and innovative companies bring tech to the forefront.
