Online Grocery: New Consumer Research press release

For Immediate Release

Media Inquiries
David Bishop, Partner, Brick Meets Click
847-722-2732, david.bishop@brickmeetsclick.com
www.brickmeetsclick.com

Online Grocery Shopping Surges to Record Levels in US during COVID-19 crisis

Brick Meets Click and ShopperKit co-sponsor online grocery shopping survey to gauge the impact

Barrington, IL, March 26, 2020

Just completed consumer research shows that 31% of U.S. households (about 39.5 million in total) have used an online grocery delivery or pickup service during the past month, according to the

Brick Meets Click/ShopperKitOnline Grocery Shopping Survey conducted March 23-25, 2020. Monthly users have more than doubled since Brick Meets Click’s August 2019 survey, which found 16.1 million, or 13% of households shopped this way.

Twenty-six percent of the online grocery shoppers surveyed (or the equivalent of 10.3 million U.S. households) indicate that they’re using a specific online grocery service for the first time. This rate of new users jumps to 39% for shoppers 60 years and older.

Overall monthly order volume has surged 193% versus August 2019 levels.  This significant increase is due to the increased number of households using grocery delivery and/or pickup services and a jump in monthly order rates, which is up 19% compared to August 2019.  

COVID-19 is changing the way many Americans shop today, but will this increase last? When asked how likely they were to continue using a specific online grocery service after the COVID-19 crisis subsides or ends, 43% of the survey respondents indicated that they are either extremely or very likely to do so. 

“This is a reflection of current circumstances,” explained David Bishop, Partner at Brick Meets Click.  He added, “Some households are only using these online services temporarily until they feel comfortable shopping in the stores again.  Other households will continue shopping online for groceries but may choose to switch providers based on the quality of their experience.”

The new Brick Meets Click/Shopper Kit survey also found that 30% of those who haven’t bought any groceries online during the past month* (equivalent to 16.3 million U.S. households) are extremely or very likely to place an online grocery order with a home delivery or store pickup service in the next three months if the crisis continues.

“The COVID-19 health crisis has clearly fueled a tremendous surge in demand in the very near term.  And, even though some households will not stick with online grocery pickup or delivery services post-crisis, others will shift to this method of shopping going forward for a host of reasons. This is an important shift for the industry, and we will continue to monitor the trends,” said Bill Bishop, Chief Architect, Brick Meets Click.

Brick Meets Click plans to share additional insights over the coming days and weeks, examining various aspects and dynamics impacting the way households shop for groceries in the U.S.

* including from websites that ship to home via common or contract carrier

About this consumer research

Brick Meets Click conducted an online survey March 23-25, 2020 with 1,601 adults, 18 years and older, who participated in the household’s grocery shopping.  Results were adjusted based internet usage amongst US adults, 18 years and older, according to the Pew Research Center, in order to account for the non-response bias associated with online surveys.   Responses were also weighted by age to reflect the national population of adults, 18 years and older, during each respective year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  The August 2019 results were based on a similar methodology that included a sample of 2,485 that was completed August 21 – 23, 2019.

About Brick Meets Click

Brick Meets Click is a strategic advisory firm that focuses on how digital technology and new competitors are changing food marketing and sales. Founded in 2011, its guidance helps retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers adapt and find new sources of growth by better understanding the shifts in the marketplace and where opportunities exist to grow sales and profits. Visit brickmeetsclick.com to learn more.

About ShopperKit

ShopperKit is a commercial software platform uniquely positioned as the world leader in eCommerce Fulfillment Technology. ShopperKit gives grocers and retailers complete control over Picking/Staging/Loading of online orders at scale from physical stores, dark stores, MFCs, and warehouses for multi-order and hub & spoke enabled online order fulfillment. ShopperKit enables retailers to extend their brand to the online guest through simultaneously enabling real-time customer communication for order substitutions & additions and out of the box integrations with geolocation & gig economy technologies for curbside pickup, third party delivery management, and more. Visit shopperkit.com to learn more.