Feature highlights of group #1: Information for the customers
Onboarding
Onboarding to the online store, using the step-by-step wizard is an important feature for the customers to be familiar with an online store, the process of buying and the options available. An online store can onboard customers during the first visit and get more “confident buyers” with the potential to have a bigger check amount.
Only El Corte Inglés has some version of this feature, right after customer registration.
Detailed information about the purchasing process can complement the onboarding or be a “stand-alone” feature.
Detailed information about purchasing process is available at the 4 stores — Apolonia, El Corte Inglés, Intermarché and Mini Preço. Detailed information about purchasing process can complement the onboarding or be a “stand-alone” feature.
How to use video
A video tutorial can be essential for those customers who are not used to reading a lot of information and prefer to get the knowledge in the video format.
Only Intermarché offers a video about how to use the online supermarket.
Information about delivery details of the fresh food
In terms of choosing a trustful retailer to have a long-lasting partnership, it’s a decision-making point for the customers to have information about the freshness of the products and delivery with temperature standards available without the special search.
El Corte Inglés, Intermarché and Mini Preço provide information about their standards and make customers sure that they will get fresh food.
“Frequently Asked Questions” or “Questions and Answers”
FAQ/QA — “Frequently Asked Questions” or “Questions and Answers” area on the online supermarket website that is presented by 3 of 10 retailers.
It’s beneficial if FAQ/QA area is available for the customer while using all the online store pages because in case the customer needs to get some information, there is no need to interrupt the purchasing process, 3 of 10 do this way.
Help area
Same with help — great when it has been placed in the online store, and more — when it is available for the customer while using the store, all the online store pages.
4 of 10 retailers have a Help area and only 3 of them have this feature to follow the customers during the purchase process.
Delivery price or terms of free delivery
To announce to the customer the price of delivery or the amount of the purchase to get free delivery — is a way to create transparency about the service usage.
Same with regular hours of delivery, it can be general information, but it’s relevant to provide for the customers’ understanding.
Delivery and pick-up timeslots
Apolonia, El Corte Inglés, Froiz, Mini Preço and SPAR provide delivery terms and information about the regular hours/time slots.
Payment options
The option to have all the ways to make a payment on the main page is a “must-have”.
It’s relevant for customers from the beginning to be sure that there is at least one payment method suitable for them to be comfortable continuing online grocery shopping.
Displaying the payment options on the main page
Seven of 10 stores, except El Corte Inglés, Intermarché and SPAR, are presenting the payment options to the customers on the main page.
Popular payments methods
Visa, MasterCard and MBWAY are the most popular payment option available in the e-grocery stores.
Social networks channels
Companies use social networks as an additional channel to stay in touch with customers daily.
Through the accounts on social networks, news can be distributed as well as information about promotions.
Retailers can use networks’ accounts to create a digital community around their brand and do different engagement activities.
Both retailers and customers benefit from having contact through digital channels. Even if customers are not using the online store often, they are being kept in touch with the brand’s updates and communication.
Instagram, Facebook and Youtube are pretty popular. El Corte Inglés has also Twitter and Pinterest accounts.
Instagram, Facebook and Youtube are pretty popular among grocery retailers. El Corte Inglés has also Twitter and Pinterest accounts.
The data about social network perdormance of e-grocery retailers is presented below for the information and was not used to calculate the rating.
As shown in the graph, the Facebook pages of the e-grocery retailers have most of their followers.
