Instacart branding as one-stop shop for back to school
Parents have a lot on their minds as the new school year approaches, from their children’s well-being and academic success to the nerve-wracking experience of shopping for school supplies. OnePoll found that 42 percent of parents worry about affording the basics for their children’s education. Back-to-school spending is expected to reach $41.5 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation, so it’s no surprise that parents are looking for the best deals on necessities like notebooks, highlighters, and sticky notes. Instacart, the popular grocery delivery platform, is broadening its offerings beyond groceries to become a one-stop shop for all back-to-school necessities in response to this demand.
Although Instacart has traditionally been known for delivering groceries, the company is now promoting the fact that it can also deliver other items, such as electronics, clothing, and even sports equipment. The new ad campaign, titled “You’ve Got This, Parents,” is meant to showcase the platform’s many options for back-to-school shopping. The mission, as stated by Instacart’s Chief Marketing Officer Laura Jones, is to “assure folks that, no matter what it is that you need…we will be there for you.”
Instacart has expanded beyond grocery delivery thanks to its partnership with more than 900 local merchants. It worked with Costco to get medicine to people during the pandemic, and it now welcomes big-box stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Office Depot. Instacart can use the back-to-school season as an opportunity to highlight its extensive delivery area. According to a survey conducted by Deloitte, the majority of parents (85%) have not yet finished their school supply shopping, and nearly a quarter (21%) have not yet decided where they will find the best deals. Instacart hopes to attract them to its platform by providing superior service and affordable prices.
Instacart is introducing a number of improvements aimed at attracting and retaining customers. A key feature is an artificial intelligence-powered search bar that streamlines the discovery, selection, and acquisition processes for customers. Instacart’s AI uses its 11 years’ worth of proprietary shopping data to sift through massive amounts of data to make useful product recommendations, including ones that the shopper may have overlooked. Chobani, Lunchables, and Skippy are just a few of the companies that have joined forces with this firm to improve the AI-driven recommendation system.
The AI function can also deal with more complex questions, such as suggesting lunches without nuts for kids who have to follow their school’s allergy policy. Instacart sets itself apart from rivals and establishes itself as a market leader by highlighting this AI capability. “The category gets more crowded every day,” Laura Jones says, “so it’s really important for us to innovate and make sure that what we’re offering is ahead of the curve in terms of making people’s lives easier.”
Instacart has released a 30-second commercial for the new school year titled “Back to School Delivered.” In the commercial, a millennial dad shows off how easy it is to use the Instacart app to get his daughter the supplies she needs for school. The campaign’s message is that, beyond groceries, Instacart can meet all of the needs of busy parents shopping for their children to return to school.
The Instacart+ annual membership fee has been reduced to $49 for the first year as an incentive to customers. Free shipping on orders over $35, discounted service fees, and early access to sales are just some of the perks of this membership. Instacart’s goal is to have first-time users become regulars by making their service more accessible.
Despite Instacart’s best efforts, giants like Walmart, Target, and Amazon will likely outsell them during the back-to-school shopping season. These retailers have carved out a niche as top options for back-to-school shoppers thanks to their convenient locations, extensive product selections, and attractive discounts and sales. Target, on the other hand, has items like notebooks, markers, and glue for as low as 50 cents, while Walmart is still selling them at last year’s prices. Despite this, Laura Jones is still convinced that Instacart’s time-sensitive deals and habit-forming incentives will win over customers for the long haul.
Bruce Winder, a retail analyst, is skeptical of Instacart’s ability to maintain revenue and loyalty in the wake of changes in the grocery delivery industry caused by the pandemic. He cites Uber Eats as an example of a service that has successfully implemented a membership program to increase revenue and customer retention. Nonetheless, Instacart is dedicated to maintaining its status as a dependable and convenient option for parents during the back-to-school season by continuing to offer a streamlined shopping experience.
In conclusion, Instacart sees a huge opportunity in the back-to-school shopping season and is positioning itself as a one-stop shop for all the necessities parents require. With the addition of non-food items and the use of AI-powered recommendations, Instacart hopes to streamline the shopping process for its customers. The company is hoping to attract and keep customers in a crowded market with its back-to-school campaign, which features discounted membership fees. Instacart’s goal is to become the parents’ preferred platform for all their back-to-school needs as they tackle their lengthy shopping lists.
See first source: AdWeek
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Instacart, and how is it transforming its offerings for the back-to-school season?
Instacart is a popular grocery delivery platform that is expanding its services beyond groceries to become a comprehensive destination for back-to-school shopping. It now offers delivery for items such as electronics, clothing, and sports equipment to cater to parents’ needs.
2. Why is Instacart launching the “You’ve Got This, Parents” ad campaign?
Instacart’s new ad campaign aims to showcase its diverse options for back-to-school shopping and assure parents that the platform can meet all their needs, beyond groceries.
3. How has Instacart expanded beyond grocery delivery?
Instacart has partnered with over 900 local merchants, including big-box stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Office Depot, to offer a wider range of items for delivery.
4. What improvements is Instacart introducing to enhance customer experience?
Instacart is introducing an AI-powered search bar that uses its proprietary shopping data to make relevant product recommendations. The AI can handle complex queries, such as suggesting allergy-friendly lunches.
5. How is Instacart’s AI-driven recommendation system being enhanced?
Companies like Chobani, Lunchables, and Skippy are collaborating with Instacart to improve its AI-driven recommendation system and provide valuable product suggestions to shoppers.
6. What is the message of Instacart’s “Back to School Delivered” commercial?
The commercial emphasizes how Instacart’s app can easily provide parents with all the supplies their children need for school, beyond groceries.
7. What are the benefits of Instacart’s Instacart+ annual membership?
The Instacart+ annual membership offers perks such as free shipping on orders over $35, discounted service fees, and early access to sales. The membership fee has been reduced to $49 for the first year.
8. How does Instacart plan to compete with retail giants during the back-to-school season?
Instacart aims to attract customers through time-sensitive deals, habit-forming incentives, and a streamlined shopping experience, despite competition from retailers like Walmart, Target, and Amazon.
9. What concerns have been raised about Instacart’s long-term success?
Retail analyst Bruce Winder has expressed skepticism about Instacart’s ability to maintain revenue and loyalty in the competitive grocery delivery industry, referencing successful membership programs like Uber Eats.
10. What is Instacart’s overall goal for the back-to-school shopping season?
Instacart seeks to position itself as a convenient and dependable one-stop shop for parents’ back-to-school needs, offering a wide range of items, AI-powered recommendations, and attractive membership benefits.
Featured Image Credit: Marques Thomas; Unsplash; Thank you!
