Kroger, a grocery chain based in Cincinnati, is reportedly all set to confront the e-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart with ‘Kroger Ship’, its latest delivery service. This shipping service would potentially deliver everything that is sold under the roof of the supermarket.
For the record, after Walmart and Amazon, Kroger is the third largest private employer in the United States. Kroger runs 2,800 supermarkets across the country and has also offered online order placement and local delivery service to numerous locations via Instacart.
Dana Zurcher, Kroger Dallas division President, stated that Kroger Ship will be rather beneficial for consumers who do not intend to physically indulge in shopping for grocery essentials.
According to sources familiar with the development, Kroger has ventured into online delivery service so that its customers can take advantage of stocking up over 50,000 center-aisle groceries, domestic cleaning products, pet edibles, and 4,500 plus Kroger brand products. Reportedly, the orders will be shipped from the company warehouse and will be delivered in boxes by the U.S. Postal Service or FedEx within 1-3 business days, based on the ordered products.
Kroger Ship will be powered by supplements and natural foods e-commerce marketplace Vitacost, which was acquired by Kroger in 2014. And in due course of time, the service will be expanded in collaboration with Ocado, a leading British online grocer.
According to a statement by Heath Hill, E-commerce Manager, Kroger's Dallas Division, bulk purchases and additional sizes will be made available through Kroger Ship.
Sources claim that to allow more and more people to use the Kroger Ship the company will not charge any shipping cost on orders valued at $35 or more, while in other cases a standard shipping cost of $4.99 per order needs to be paid.
Kroger Ship service earlier started operations in Louisville, Kentucky, Nashville, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Houston, Nashville.