Waitrose has revealed that its online business has processed more than 150,000 orders in a week for the first time. The figure is more than double the amount of weekly orders it was achieving at start of this year and comes after a concerted effort to expand its e-commerce operation as it prepares to end its partnership with Ocado.
The retailer also revealed that it was adding 150 new delivery vans to its fleet to enable it to increase its delivery slots further during the coming weeks.
Waitrose has been scaling up its online operation since the beginning of the year and nearly 90% of UK postcodes can now order from Waitrose.com.
In February, the group announced that a further 24 shops would be made delivery shops between now and 1 September when its delivery contract with Ocado ends. Three of the 24 shops went live with a delivery service this week, taking the total to 173 sites.
As with other grocery retailers, Waitrose has seen a surge in demand for online delivery during the coronavirus crisis. The retailer has been giving priority to elderly and vulnerable people, while trebling deliveries from its ‘Rapid’ service to 7,000 per week.
Waitrose.com director Ben Stimson said: “The expansion plans we had in place for Waitrose.com have allowed us to respond as best we can to the huge surge in demand in recent months – especially from vulnerable groups who need home delivery services.
“We’re seeing a fundamental shift to many people’s shopping habits, and we’re incredibly proud of how our shops have scaled up our online operations at such speed.”
NAM Implications:
- Key for suppliers to integrate with Waitrose expansion…
- …rather than playing catchup later.
