Dive Brief:
- Raley's new website was designed to give customers an enhanced experience and new interface for the retailer's e-commerce platform, according to a company release. The website delivers a personalized shopping experience that saves time, shares Raley's customer stories and increases transparency around the products it sells, the company says.
- The new site gives customers the ability to plan their in-store shopping trip as well as order delivery and pick-up orders. The grocer also redesigned its Something Extra loyalty program — taking real customers' reviews into consideration — and unveiled it with the new site.
- This new digital interface is an extension of Raley's partnership with Unata, a platform that provides omnichannel commerce for retailers. By using Unata's personalized engine, Raley's website includes a weekly ad, promotions and digital offers.
Dive Insight:
Raley's has always been focused on personalized experience, so it's no surprise that its website reflects that. It also includes information that is important for every grocer, including food transparency and its loyalty program. The website redesign comes soon after Raley's multimedia campaign, which promoted online shopping in preparation for the new e-commerce experience.
The grocer's new website focuses mainly on a personalized shopping experience, both through promotions and offerings. The launch also coincides with personalization efforts, including the retailer's extension of its e-commerce and same-day delivery through Northern California personalized shopping service eCart.
This is also well timed with the grocer's promotion of Keith Knopf to CEO. Since Knopf joined the company as chief operating officer in 2015, Raley's has continuously developed its e-commerce presence. In the few weeks since he's been elevated to the top role, there have been many changes in the company's marketing, e-commerce, and in-store programs.
One of these is the latest click-and-collect program, designed to provide consumers with more power in produce choice when purchasing online. The store also has new health initiatives, including the removal of candy in checkout lines, the 5-ONE-5 wellness-focused market with a full-time dietitian and new corporate offices that feature an on-site gym and walking trail.
The in-store health focus can also be seen in its e-commerce initiatives. Through multimedia marketing techniques, the grocer has made an effort to bring these to consumers' attention. The campaign it launched in August included two short videos that aimed to convince shoppers that shopping online is similar to shopping in-store. It's now clear they were not only promoting the well-established e-commerce business but also the personalized click-and-collect service via Raley's new website. Raley's has offered this service for longer than 15 years, but is known for taking flashy steps to promote its business — especially at a time when e-commerce is booming and competition is on the rise.
It's clear that grocers are revamping their websites in order to offer the services that are important to consumers and make online grocery more appealing. Other grocery retailers have recently pushed out redesigned websites, including Natural Grocers. That grocer's new site gives customers a more personalized shopping experience, healthy recipes and a nutrition center — similar to Raley's site.
The redesigned website, along with Raley's new and improved rewards program, can boost consumer loyalty and reach new audiences through e-commerce. The grocer can attract consumers who crave the convenience of online shopping but are skeptical due to the lack of the in-store experience and personalization. The new website brings its health-focused, personalized, in-store experience to the fingertips of consumers.
