7-Eleven Competes With Grocers With New Online Ordering System

America’s largest c-store chain is breaking into the online business with the pilot of their online ordering and pickup program in select Dallas locations. 7-Eleven is offering a variety of grocery and non-food products for purchase through their new phone app 7ElevenNow.

Ten stores are currently participating in the new program, with more locations in queue for 2018. According to the company, this move is just the start of their new digital marketing initiatives that they will be introducing throughout the coming years.

Offerings include traditional grocery items like fruit and pre-made meals such as Asian beef and broccoli bowls. The convenience chain is also expanding their portfolio of private label products. They will be offering private label sweet breads targeted at Hispanic consumers. These new sweet breads are currently available in over 640 stores throughout Texas.

This digital transformation is aimed at the consumers who are currently shopping online for day-to-day items. With the success of many digital grocery companies as proof, 7ElevenNow holds promising returns. The chain is also experimenting with new technologies like chatbots, drones, biometrics and peer-to-peer payments.

The company is also complementing Amazon’s digital grocery service with the expansion of Amazon Lockers so that customers can pick up their orders in-store. They have introduced a BillPay app that allows consumers to pay in cash at pick-up stores and they have added the option to pay with Amazon cash at over 8,000 stores.

With the tobacco and fuel industry seeing decreasing sales, many c-store companies are searching for ways to make-up for the loss of revenue. With 7-Eleven now in the grocery business, other c-stores are likely to follow in their footsteps.

The addition of their Hispanic sweet breads gives the convenience store an upper hand as they enter the grocery business. According to Acosta and Univision research, Hispanics contribute to the grocery business more than other US shoppers because the make more frequent trips.

7-Eleven’s many locations make them an easy and quick stop for consumers looking to buy traditional grocery items. With the addition of more Hispanic options, the c-store might become tough competition for the many Hispanic grocery stores in Texas.

As convenience stores try to expand their products into grocery options, many grocery stores are revamping their ready-to-eat and grab-and-go food selections. It seems that food retailers are exploring different territories in order to stand out in the tough food market.