In a bid to compete with Shaw’s, Walmart, Target and other grocers, Hannaford said Monday it has partnered with Instacart to offer same-day delivery from most of its stores in New England and New York.
The trend toward same-day delivery also puts brick-and-mortar supermarket stores in a more competitive position with online-only retailers such as Amazon. Online grocery sales grew 9 percent to $7.2 billion from May to June, according to research firm BrickMeetsClick.com. The firm said the growth reflects online grocery delivery and pickup services becoming a more integral part of how consumers shop.
Initially in Maine, 41 of Hannaford’s 63 stores will offer the same-day service, said spokesperson Ericka Dodge. Instacart has a two-week trial for new users during which delivery fees are free for orders over $35.
Shoppers can also get a membership for $99 per year or $9.99 per month, which gives them unlimited free deliveries on all orders over $35. Otherwise fees start at $3.99 per delivery for orders over $35. Prices for foods may be higher than the in-store prices, and extra fees are applied for heavy orders, alcohol and bags, where applicable.
The supermarket chain said delivery from 149 of its 183 stores in the Northeast can be as fast as one hour. The supermarket already offers an online order and curbside pickup service. Hannaford customers will need to go to Instacart’s website or download its app to shop for same-day service. A prompt to enter their zip code will tell customers whether or not the service is available at their nearest store. Deliveries will be made to customers’ doors.
Instacart, which uses independent contractors to pack and deliver orders. has more than 400 partnerships with retailers in the United States and Canada. Walmart and Shaw’s also use Instacart but Target uses a service called Shipt for same-day delivery.
In addition to Maine, Hannaford has stores in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York.