A Kroger customer expressed frustration over the long wait for their curbside pickup order, stating that going inside the store to shop would have been faster.
Kroger Curbside Pickup Fails to Save Time
Kroger, alongside many competitors, offers a curbside pickup service intended to save customers time by eliminating the need to walk through store aisles and select products themselves.
However, according to The U.S. Sun, one shopper's recent experience suggests the service may not always be a time-saver.
The customer shared their ordeal on X, explaining they had been waiting for their order for over 40 minutes at Kroger. During this time, they observed seven other vehicles arrive, receive their groceries, and leave.
The situation escalated when, in a subsequent post, the customer noted that two more cars had arrived and received their orders ahead of them. They remarked that they could have completed their shopping inside the store in the time they spent waiting.
Kroger responded to the customer's complaints, expressing regret for the lengthy wait and stating, "This is not what we want for our customers, and we'd like to investigate." They requested the customer contact them with more details to help address the issue.
According to Kroger's website, they provide a convenient pickup service and now offer the same great deals online as in-store, with no surprise fees or hidden markups.
Shoppers can fill their online cart with desired items and select a pickup time that suits their schedule. Store associates will carefully select the freshest products and prepare the order for quick loading into the shopper's vehicle upon arrival.
The pickup service is complimentary for orders totaling $35 or more
Also Read: Shopper Outcry: Wegmans Customers Urge Preservation of Exclusive Store Design Element
New Receipt Checks May Slow Shoppers
Customers who prefer selecting their own groceries could soon face longer wait times at certain store locations due to a new policy requiring receipt checks at the exit. This theft-deterrent method is already common at major retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Sam's Club.
Many shoppers find this practice unpopular as it tends to slow down their departure from the store.
Legal experts point out that while stores like Walmart and Kroger can request to see receipts, shoppers are not legally obligated to show them, except in membership-only stores like Costco and Sam's Club, where showing a receipt upon request is a requirement.
According to CNBC, Retail giants Kroger, Walmart, and Target enhanced their delivery strategies to quickly bring groceries to customers' doors, boosting their competitiveness.
In March, Target introduced a paid membership offering free same-day home deliveries. Walmart extended its same-day delivery times to start earlier in the morning. Meanwhile, Kroger reported significant digital and delivery sales growth, attributing over 10% year-over-year growth to its home delivery services.
These efforts aimed to surpass Amazon in convenience and transform their physical locations into strategic assets for faster delivery. As part of their strategy, all three companies offered paid membership programs, similar in price and benefits, including home delivery for orders above $35.
This move covered delivery costs and helped collect valuable customer data to enhance personalized marketing and grow advertising revenues.
Kroger and several other grocery stores offer an online ordering service known as Pickup. Customers can shop for products online and collect their orders at a store. Store associates can bring the purchases out and load them directly into the customer's car, enhancing convenience.
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