Countdown has announced plans to open a third eStore to meet the ever-increasing demand for convenient online shopping and delivery.
The 3500 square metre eStore will be based in Grenada North, Wellington. The facility, tipped to employ over 100 people, will create 50 new jobs, servicing online customers in Tawa, Porirua, Aotea, Lower Hutt, Johnsonville Mall and Kilbirnie.
Tailored to the shopping habits of local online customers, it will never close, servicing over 7000 orders each week.
Countdown general manager of brand and digital Sally Copland said that prior to COVID-19, online shopping was already on the rise, up 38 percent nationwide. Demand in the Capital had grown faster than in any other city.
“Wellingtonians have really embraced the ease and convenience of Countdown’s online shopping service, and we’ve been working really hard to open up more online hubs and delivery windows to help meet the growing demand,” Copland said.
As the new eStore will reduce the load on Countdown's other Wellington-based stores, Countdown expects to provide local online shoppers with more options.
“Centralising deliveries from the eStore will mean we can really scale and provide more delivery times and better product availability for our online shoppers," Copland added.
Countdown also confirmed the e-Store will offer customers all the trimmings of a regular supermarket, including fruit and veges, a fresh bakery, deli and butchery.
Customers wanting to pick up online orders instead of having them delivered could continue to do this at local stores, with increased pick-up times available at each store.
Countdown's first purpose-built e-Store opened on April 16, allowing those not wanting to stand in queues to order from the safety of their home. Based in Penrose, Auckland, it helped to relieve pressure on stores, servicing online orders from 10 of Countdown's busiest Auckland supermarkets.
Within two months of the opening of it's Auckland eStore, Countdown announced plans for another, based within its Moorhouse store in Christchurch. It's Grey Lynn store closed during lockdown and continues to be available for online shoppers only.
In October, families told Newshub that as it removes temptation, particularly buying treats and impulse items at the checkout, shopping online saves them money. Other benefits included the ability to save a shopping list and to keep track of the final bill as items were added to the cart.
Countdown orders can be delivered to most areas for a flat fee and differ for rural and provincial areas. For orders of $50 to $199.99, it charges a $14 delivery fee or $9 for orders over $200.00. It also applies a $1 bag charge at checkout.
A Foodstuffs spokesperson confirmed on Monday that Pak'nSave offers online ordering with $5 click and collect (only), to customers based in the North Island.
New World customers who are North Island-based have the choice of either $5 click and collect or online delivery. Costs operate on a sliding scale: orders of $1 to $199.99 are charged a $15 delivery fee, which reduces to $10 for orders of $200 or more.
Countdown's new eStore based in Granada North will open in October.
