Dive Brief:

• Schnucks has extended its rewards program to include online grocery purchases, according to a company press release. Now shoppers who order groceries for delivery or pickup can earn Schnucks Rewards points the same way they would if they bought in-store.
• The grocer has also announced the expansion of Schnucks Delivers curbside pickup to 30 stores in Missouri and Indiana. Curbside pickup launched last year in four stores.
• Customers who are members of Schnucks Delivers Express will not have to pay any fees for curbside pickup orders, and nonmembers will pay a fee of $1.99 per order. Schnucks partners with Instacart for pickup and delivery.

Dive Insight:

With digital coupons and rewards becoming more popular and omnichannel shopping becoming the norm, in-store only loyalty programs are no longer going to satisfy most customers. While many large supermarkets with rewards program have integrated them into e-commerce by now, some smaller grocery chains, like Schnucks, are still in the process of developing their e-commerce capabilities or their rewards programs.

Among large retailers that offer shopper rewards and loyalty programs, Albertsons and its banners along with H-E-B, Stop & Shop and Kroger allow customers to earn rewards through online purchases.   

Regional grocer Lucky Supermarkets in the San Francisco Bay Area recently launched online ordering with Instacart, and shoppers will be able to earn points on their online orders just as they can in one of the banner’s 21 stores. Another regional chain, New Seasons Market, just introduced its first ever rewards program, but as of now customers cannot earn or redeem rewards for online grocery purchases. 

Schnucks is laser-focused on its rewards program right now. In the last few months, the grocer has added new features to its mobile rewards app and expanded Schnucks Rewards to encompass all 117 of its stores. Simultaneously the company is paying close attention to its delivery and pickup business. In May, Schnucks added a Deli Order Ahead feature to the Schnucks Rewards app, and earlier this year it added alcohol delivery.

While the concept of offering rewards through e-commerce isn’t new, Schnucks’ recent improvements to its online grocery service and rewards program should create a more seamless shopping experience, making it easier for customers to adopt Schnucks Delivers and benefit from Schnucks Rewards.