50% of Grocers Want Better Digital Tools and Customer Experience

Half of all grocers are looking to step up their digital presence, their customer experience (CX) or both.

By the Numbers

Research from PYMNTS’ study “Big Retail’s Innovation Mandate: Convenience and Personalization,” created in collaboration with ACI Worldwide, which drew from a survey of 300 major retailers in the United States and the United Kingdom, found that 34% of grocers are satisfied with their customer experience but not their digital tools. Another 5% are satisfied with their digital tools but not their customer experience, and an additional 11% are dissatisfied with both.

The Data in Action

Consequently, many grocers are looking to step up their digital presence. Netherlands-based multinational grocery retailer Ahold Delhaize, for one, has been investing in its loyalty programs. In a presentation to analysts Wednesday (Nov. 9) accompanying its third-quarter 2022 earnings release, the grocery giant said its U.S. arm, ADUSA, has seen its loyalty programs bring in more than $1.5 billion in incremental sales so far this year. In the U.S., its brands include Food Lion, Giant Food and FreshDirect.

Others have been focusing on how their digital technologies interact with the in-store experience. eCommerce behemoth Amazon, for instance, has been rolling out its Amazon One palm-reading checkout technology, most recently adding the system to two Whole Foods Market stores in Dallas Tuesday (Nov. 8). Plus, the capability will be added to all 16 Whole Foods locations in the larger Dallas-Fort Worth area over the next few weeks, an Amazon spokesperson told PYMNTS via email.