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Jet.com unveils ‘city grocery experience’

Walmart e-commerce unit caters new service to New Yorkers

Russell Redman

September 14, 2018

3 Min Read
Jet_city_grocery_shopping_bag.png
Photos: Jet.com

As part of a brand relaunch, Jet.com has introduced what it calls a “city grocery experience” tailored to New York City residents.

The Hoboken, N.J.-based Walmart subsidiary said Thursday that its enhanced online grocery service will cater more closely to the lifestyles of city dwellers. Customers will be able to choose three-hour scheduled same-day and next-day delivery windows for groceries, everyday essentials and other merchandise.

Providing last-mile delivery will be Parcel, the New York-based delivery company acquired by Walmart last October. Parcel uses routing algorithms, a fleet of leased vehicles and a professional, employee-based workforce to quickly sort, load and deliver packages to customers.

Jet_city_grocery_experience_package_delivery_0.pngJet said that shoppers also will be able to add customized delivery instructions at checkout, such as “leave the package with the doorman.” Grocery deliveries will come in recyclable, insulated bags to preserve quality and freshness for up to three hours, the company said, adding that the bags offer more portability for city customers bringing the orders from the front door to the refrigerator.

Supporting local and small businesses, the product mix will have a distinct New York flavor. For example, Jet said it has partnered with iconic New York-based brands ranging from Bedford Cheese Shop, Pat LaFrieda meats and Orwashers Bakery, to local favorites like Big Gay Ice Cream and Just Bagels.

New Yorkers also will be able to order craft, ultra-craft, domestic and premium imported beer online, with same-day and next-day delivery to become available in the coming months. 

To process orders for the new service, Jet is building a dedicated e-commerce fulfillment center in the Bronx, N.Y. The facility, announced in July, is due to be completed this fall.

“I’m personally thrilled with this evolution of Jet. It’s the next generation of shopping for city dwellers and really brings the personality of their city and local favorites to life,” Jet Founder Marc Lore, president and CEO of Walmart eCommerce US, said in a statement. “Focusing Jet on customers in the major metro cities perfectly complements our overall e-commerce portfolio strategy.”

Through the brand relaunch, Jet said it aims to “rehumanize” e-commerce and sharpen its focus on customers in major metropolitan cities, starting with New York and rolling out to other urban markets later on. The enhanced experience is intended to provide a more “intentional catalog” that’s personalized and relevant to city consumers’ living needs and shopping preferences in grocery, home, fashion, beauty and electronics.

Jet_city_grocery_website_1_0.pngFor instance, shoppers visiting the website will be greeted with iconic, localized imagery and messages on the home page and across the site. Customers also will find “smarter” product recommendations that prioritize their preferences plus timely reorder recommendations that predict needs to restock. In addition, iOS device users will be able to use voice activation to build shopping lists on Jet’s mobile app — such as “Siri, add bananas to my grocery list.”

In announcing its relaunch, Jet also said that in October it will kick off a strategic partnership with Nike to create a curated, consumer-centric experience. The initial assortment will include hundreds of Nike- and Converse-branded products in apparel, footwear and accessories.

Jet is supporting the initiatives with a marketing campaign titled “Our Carts are Different Here.” The effort will tell the stories of city dwellers’ unique shopping needs through television, audio, digital, social and out-of-home media.

“As a retailer, we must build experiences that customers love and trust, backed by strong values,” said Jet President Simon Belsham. “For Jet, this means offering a more tailored shopping experience combined with a unique assortment of great brands in a way that brings empathy back into e-commerce. This is only the beginning for Jet.”

Jet’s brand revamp marks another step forward by Walmart in trying to reach the lucrative urban New York customer. At the end of May, the company unveiled Jetblack, a new retail service that uses a concierge-style approach to online shopping through “conversational commerce,” or the ability to shop via text messaging, online chat or voice. Developed by Walmart tech incubator Store No. 8, Jetblack launched on a limited basis in Manhattan and part of Brooklyn.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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