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Buehler’s lets customers know ‘best time to shop’

Online tool helps promote social distancing inside stores

Russell Redman

April 8, 2020

4 Min Read
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Buehler’s has launched a new online tool dubbed “Best Time to Shop,” which provides a color-coded indicator of the slowest and busiest store hours.Buehler's Fresh Foods

Buehler’s Fresh Foods is giving customers concerned about coming to the grocery store during the coronavirus pandemic a heads-up on the “best time to shop.”

Wooster, Ohio-based Buehler’s has launched a new online tool dubbed “Best Time to Shop,” which provides a color-coded indicator of the slowest and busiest store hours.

On a weekly basis, Buehler’s will evaluate sales at each store for every hour and project the next week’s customer counts into three-hour time segments. That data then will be translated into color-coded time charts for each store, with red indicating the busiest shopping times, yellow showing average store traffic and green representing the slowest shopping times.

Customers can access the Best Time to Shop feature on the Buehler’s website. Charts will be shown for each of the supermarket chain’s stores, with the one-week time period indicated at the top.

According to Buehler’s President and CEO Dan Shanahan, the tool will not only help promote safety during the COVID-19 outbreak, but also help customers with their planning.

“The state of Ohio has requested that we help space the business out by limiting the maximum number of customers allowed, posting it on our front door and then making sure if we hit the maximum a queue is spaced six feet apart outside,” he explained. “We applaud that request and think that, in addition, Buehler’s ‘Best Time to Shop’ will help to spread the business out even further without making people wait in line outside. Limiting business at peak times is also naturally regulated by the number of carts, hand baskets and parking spots that we have in our stores.”

Related:Buehler’s adds online grocery pickup

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Buehler's shopping data will be translated into color-coded time charts for each store, with red indicating the busiest shopping times, yellow showing average store traffic and green representing the slowest shopping times.

Using the tool, customers will be able to exercise social distancing more easily when they shop at less busy times, as shopping is spread out across the whole week, Shanahan noted.

“As our frontline heroes continue to keep our stores running, the safety of our employees and customers continues to be our focus,” he added. “Customers are giving us positive feedback and appreciation for all that we are doing for their safety. We think they will really like checking in with ‘Best Time to Shop’ each week.”

In response to the pandemic, Buehler’s said it has been monitoring all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) communications and working with government agencies, suppliers, the Ohio Grocers Association and the National Grocers Association to bolster its virus control procedures. Safety measures include the suspension of self-serve demos and increased cleaning of surfaces throughout the store, such as the wiping down of shopping cart handles throughout the day.

Related:Buehler’s goes live with new Ohio liquor branding

Buehler’s, too, has stepped up support of employees. Last week, the company announced $250,000 in appreciation pay to all employees as they continue to work during the coronavirus health crisis. The bonus pay is retroactive to March 15 and will run to April 18. The grocery chain said it also has retained 227 workers hired from local restaurants that had closed temporarily and reassigned them to other store departments.

“Over the last three weeks, the character of our employees has shown through and made a lasting impression on all the customers who rely on us, new customers, suppliers and other stakeholders who are connected to us,” Shanahan commented. “This has manifested itself with countless individual examples too numerous to name. Our people are truly inspirational, and we are thrilled that we are able to pay this bonus.”

And starting this week, Buehler’s will provide gloves and reusable face masks to workers who want them. The retailer said the move came in response to employee requests. In addition, the company will be closed for Easter Sunday, April 12, to give staff a day of rest as well as enable employee personal carryover days from 2019 to be used anytime in 2020.

Buehler’s operates 13 supermarkets in Wooster (two locations), Orrville, Wadsworth, Medina (two locations), Ashland, New Philadelphia, Dover, Canton, Coshocton, Portage Lakes and Massillon, Ohio.

For our most up-to-date coverage, visit the coronavirus homepage.

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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