Ultrafast Grocer Announces New Personalized App as Competition Heats Up

As online grocers compete to win consumers’ spending in a crowded category, those that can offer consumers the most individualized, relevant experience have an opportunity stand out against the rest.

For one, eGrocer Jokr announced Monday (March 28) that it is launching a new app with personalized suggestions and content.

“We believe in constant improvements and consumer-centric products,” Sven Grajetzki, the company’s chief product and technology officer, said in a statement. “Our app is a key aspect to delighting our users with an engaging and flexible front end while using data to surface the most relevant and unique assortment of products to make it a fully personalized user experience.”

The announcement comes a couple months after news broke at the end of January that the company was looking to sell its New York business, speaking to competitors including Gopuff, Getir and FastAF in the hopes of finding a potential buyer.

Related: Jokr’s Intention to Sell NYC Biz Reveal US Consumers May Not Be Ready for Ultrafast Grocery

The ultrafast delivery space has seen some turmoil in recent months, with Russian-backed services facing major roadblocks in response to sanctions placed on the country and with all players struggling with the challenging economics of the business model. Additionally, Instacart’s recently announced entry into the space could present further challenges for smaller startups.

See also: Instant Grocery Delivery Service Buyk Closes, Files Bankruptcy Over Russian Sanctions

The majority of online grocery customers seek out speedy shopping options, according to data from PYMNTS’ study What Consumers Expect From Their Grocery Shopping Experience, created in collaboration with ACI Worldwide.

The study, which drew from a census-balanced survey of more than 2,300 U.S. adults conducted in June 2021, found that 57% of grocery’s digital customers are motivated to purchase online because it is faster than shopping in stores.

You may also like: Digital Features Can Help Grocers Win Over 43 Percent Of Shoppers

Additionally, the study found that 23% of consumers buy groceries online and have the products delivered to their houses, and 8% of consumers rank this channel as their most preferred.

Meanwhile, 11% of consumers buy online using an aggregator that delivers the products the same day, such as Instacart, and only 2% of consumers rank this channel as their most preferred.

See also: Instacart Leverages Range of Fulfillment Options to Be Consumers’ One-Stop eGrocery Shop

Digital platforms enable online grocers to recreate elements of the relationships that consumers in decades past had with small brick-and-mortar shops, where employees knew their names and preferences, John Ross, president and CEO of the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA), argued in a December interview with PYMNTS.

“Loyalty programs can create the sense of recognition and engagement no different than if you walk in one of our stores where you’ve been shopping for 20 years, and we say, ‘Hey, Mrs. Jones, how are you?’” Ross said. “Digital technology does allow you to replicate a lot of the effects of high quality of service.”

Read more: Supermarkets Rethink Physical and Digital Aisles for Grocery’s Connected Future