MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. has unveiled plans for a new pilot program that would give customers the ability to place orders for next-day delivery of such products as granola bars and coffee.
The program, called Target Restock, is being tested by select team members at Target’s headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company said it plans to pilot the program later this summer in the Minneapolis area.
“We created Target Restock to save busy guests time and make it easier than ever to get household essentials delivered quickly,” the company said. “This is another example of how Target is connecting stores and digital to create new services for guests.”
Once the pilot is live this summer, Target said its Minneapolis area customers that have a REDcard will be eligible to visit a dedicated on-line store to access thousands of household essentials.
Through the on-line store, customers will be able to select multiple items and have their orders shipped to their homes for a “low, flat fee,” according to Target. The items will be packaged at a nearby store, allowing Target to fulfill orders placed before 1:30 p.m. by the next business day.
“We’re busy fine-tuning the experience and testing various enhancements — so stay tuned for more information once the pilot launches this summer,” the company said.
Target’s decision to try out next-day delivery comes at a time when e-commerce, contactless payment options and smaller store formats all are shaping the future of grocery retailing.
“Food retail is evolving,” David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts, said in a report issued earlier this year called “The Future of Food Retailing: Value Grocery Shopping in the US” “The customer is king, and perhaps more than any time in history, the consumers are firmly in control. Competition from multiple channels is unrelenting, and retailers must be creative and innovative in their marketing, products offerings, services and even store designs just to garner even a semblance of consumer loyalty.”
