Instacart Launches New Features to Speed Up Delivery

In the response to the coronavirus outbreak and increase in demand, Instacart launches new features to speed up delivery.  

Delivery intermediary Instacart in the US has added two new features to its portal, in order to speed up delivery and create more delivery windows. The Fast & Flexible feature will assign a customer’s order to the first available shopper within a defined time window, rather than sticking to a specific, pre-defined delivery slot. Meanwhile, the Order Ahead service allows users to select a date up to two weeks ahead of delivery, instead of just seven days. 

  

The rollout of the new features comes at a time when food ecommerce services, including Instacart, are striving for fast and viable responses to the unprecedented demand pressure created by the coronavirus outbreak and associated restrictions on free movement. On top of accelerated delivery, high profile responses have included more flexible ways of ordering, as well as a radical prioritization on essential items across supply chain and fulfillment by Amazon. 

  

As the coronavirus outbreak accelerates the dynamics at which grocery retailers raise the bar on delivery speed and flexibility, CPGs must work with retailers now to continuously identify in-demand items suitable for rapid delivery services. In addition, brands must ensure flexible and predicable supply chains and provide strong content and visibility that will make products stand out on ecommerce platforms like Instacart’s. 

 

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