Sun staff
After much anticipation, Eastgate Walmart launched its free online grocery pickup service on Aug. 9.
“Our customers have been asking for this,” said Jenn Fuller, assistant manager for the store’s online grocery department.
The service allows customers to order groceries online, with a $30 minimum, and pick them up at the store’s specially designated side door. And because the department’s staff will load the items into shoppers’ cars, drivers won’t even have to unbuckle their seatbelts.
“I think that getting time back with your family is the biggest thing,” said Denis Philips, store manager. “A lot of folks will come in, and they’ll shop for two hours with their kids, and they’re tired already. Now, we do the picking, load your car up, and you’re done.”
While Wal-Mart Stores Inc. launched the service in early 2015, the Eastgate store is the first in its market, which includes the Amelia Walmart and several stores throughout northern Kentucky, to offer the amenity, according to Fuller.
The store has been gearing up for the launch for the past six months.
“The service has been really well-received,” Fuller said, adding, “Basically, we’re setting the tone for the rest of our market to go online.”
To use the service, customers need to sign up online or download the mobile application, which is currently only available through the Apple’s App Store.
Customers can scroll through and select from hundreds of different products from a number of departments, including produce, meat, deli, beverages, health and beauty, baby, pets, household and laundry and toys and video games.
“It’s definitely more than just groceries,” Fuller added.
The department does business from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and same-day service is available; orders placed by 2 a.m. may be picked up as early as 8 a.m., and orders placed by 10 a.m. may be picked up as early as 2 p.m. Customers may also choose a pickup time a few days out.
When the online order is finalized, and the pickup date has arrived, it’s assigned to one of the department’s nine hand-selected staff members, who take to the aisles of the store to collect the goods.
“In hiring staff for the department, we were looking for people who do the shopping for their own families, and who enjoy it,” Fuller explained.
She added, “We wanted people who pay attention to details and who would be just as selective about choosing products for customers as they would be if they were shopping for their own families.”
Bekah Barger, who worked for a year as the store’s support manager, feels “very blessed” that she was asked to join the team; she is now the manager for the department.
“I love that it’s a new experience,” she said.
After the order has been “shopped,” it’s housed in a staging area; online instructions prompt the customer to call the department 15 minutes ahead of their arrival to allow staff to prepare the order for load-in.
Christina Royse, who lives in the Eastgate area, was the service’s first customer.
“I hate to grocery shop so this is perfect for me,” she said.
To learn more about and sign up for Eastgate Walmart’s free online grocery pick up service, visit the website at www.walmart.com/grocery.