On December 9, Shipt announced that it will be delivering groceries to homes until the 5-6 pm local time window on Christmas Eve this year. The announcement, made on December 9, continues a new trend of special holiday promotions from the Target-owned grocery delivery service.
Holiday Helpers
On November 15, the Birmingham native service unveiled their inaugural “Thanksgiving Most Forgotten List”, made using the results of Shipt data and a Thanksgiving Shopping survey. The list included key Thanksgiving day items such as cranberries, fragrant Spices, and napkins.
This list and the new late delivery window on Christmas Eve highlight what makes Shipt special among its competitors: focusing on the customers. This focus is propelling Shipt forward in an increasingly competitive delivery market.
When announcing their Christmas Eve plans on Shipt.com, Chief Business Officer and Holiday Shopping Expert Rina Hurst says, “This year brings its own set of unique challenges with supply chain issues impacting store shelves and shipping deadlines backed out 10, 12, even 15 days before Christmas to guarantee delivery in time for the holidays. Shipt is proud to offer a reliable, personalized, and same-day option for the eleventh-hour shoppers all the way up to the evening of Christmas Eve”.
Another new feature introduced in 2021 allows users to have “preferred shoppers”, a familiar face bringing them their groceries each week, increasing the personal nature of the service.
This personal focus appears to have led to booming growth. In their Business Report Brief 2021, Shipt writes that their delivered orders increased 252%, along with a community that tripled in size to approximately 300,000 people.
Commercial Comparisons
Recent commercials highlight this focus that sets Shipt apart. Some commercials feature a Shipt shopper gathering a random list of items and figuring out what their customer needs the items for, such as supplies for a kids’ soccer game.
Other commercials have Kristen Bell bragging to other shoppers about how her Shipt shopper knows exactly what groceries she wants and which brands to avoid.
These commercials especially highlight how Shipt is trying to set itself apart when compared to other, similar companies’ commercials.
Uber Eats, according to a report by Apps That Deliver, controlled 25% of the food delivery market in the United States as of May 2021. The driving service spinoff specializes in restaurant delivery and runs commercials featuring celebrities talking about what they’re getting for dinner.
Patrick Stewart and Mark Hamill faced off in a series of Uber Eats commercials, with the arrival of their food interrupting their confrontation. Other commercials showcase Leslie Jones, Lil Nas X, and Elton John, with every commercial featuring the company’s slogan: “Tonight, I’ll be eating…”
Similar services include Boxed, FreshDirect and Thrive Market. Each of these companies targets a specific piece of the grocery industry. Boxed delivers bulk shopping home deliveries, while FreshDirect and Thrive Market both focus on healthy foods. Thrive Market specifically features organic groceries.
Thrive Market commercials boast the ability to shop for different diets from a variety of organic products. Over one million members currently use the service.
All of these companies have carved out a specific section of the market and they have carved their sections out well. Meanwhile, Shipt has embraced the market as a whole. As of 2021, Shipt delivers from over 130 retailers in 5,000 cities across the United States.
If you have a specific need, such as bulk items or a wide range of organic products, some of the other services may fit your needs perfectly. If what you’re looking for is the touch of a personal shopper and a variety of retailers, then Shipt may be what you are looking for.