7‑Eleven US is trialling on-demand ordering for delivery or in-store pickup at selected Dallas stores via its new 7‑ElevenNow smartphone app, ahead of a national roll-out.
The new service is being tested in 10 downtown and uptown 7‑Eleven stores, and the convenience retail company says it will introduce the program into other locations in the US next year.
Dallas customers who enroll in the new app – which runs on both Google and Apple platforms – will receive free delivery on their first order.
“With more locations than any other convenience retailer in the world, 7‑Eleven has a corner on convenient, in-store shopping,” said 7‑Eleven US chief digital officer Gurmeet Singh. “As we undergo a significant digital transformation, we continue to look for ways to expand and enhance the company’s shopping footprint – and consumers’ digital shopping experience – outside its stores as well.”
Singh said today’s digitally savvy consumer expects a wide range of options right at their fingertips.
“We continuously ask our consumers how we can make their lives better, and 7‑ElevenNow is a proprietary solution to their on-demand needs. The app will enable our customers to get the products they want, when and where they want them, quickly and conveniently. This is redefining convenience.”
When ordering items through 7‑ElevenNow, customers can choose to receive direct delivery to their location or pick up their prepared order at the participating store of their choice within the 7‑ElevenNow footprint. A wide selection of snacks, cosmetics, gift cards, home goods, beverages and hundreds of other products are available for purchase on the app.
To use the app, shoppers choose the delivery or pick-up option. If delivery is selected, the app will auto-locate the nearest participating store and, once the order is placed, send it to a courier service. The courier then picks up the customer’s prepped products at the store and delivers them to the customer’s location. If shoppers choose pick-up, they select the items they want as well as the store they prefer for pick-up. The order will be waiting for them at the register. Customers can pay for both delivery and pickup via the app.
“7‑Eleven has a legacy of innovation,” said 7‑Eleven US president and CEO Joe DePinto. “We have been pioneering new trends in the convenience industry for 90 years. Our company was the first to offer coffee in to-go cups, operate 24/7 and provide a self-serve soda fountain.
“7‑Eleven will always look for innovative ways to reach and excite our customers and maintain our leadership position in convenience retailing. Today, that means redefining convenience through digital innovation.”
7‑Eleven US’ digital team is working on a “full-stack digital transformation,” which includes the technology customers experience, as well as the technology that works behind the scenes to ensure seamless and effortless interactions.
Other recent digital releases include the expansion of the 7Rewards app-based customer loyalty program, now available on a wider range eligible purchases, and the launch of 7‑Eleven Bot on Messenger, which allows millions of 7‑Eleven customers to engage with the brand from within Facebook.
7‑Eleven US has also expanded the availability of Amazon Lockers for in-store package pickup, added Amazon Cash to over 8000 locations, and BillPay – an app powered by PayNearMe to help cash users pay for a variety of bills at 7‑Eleven stores.
This story was first published in Inside Retail.
