Vons for Business?

[ClownLoach]

Saw this social media ad and wondered if it was still April Fool's Day. Why would they think businesses would pay inflated retail?

[pseudo3d]

Saw this social media ad and wondered if it was still April Fool's Day. Why would they think businesses would pay inflated retail?

SmartSelect_20240404_133841_Facebook.jpg

It appears to be real and only for Vons...

[retailfanmitchell019]

Saw this social media ad and wondered if it was still April Fool's Day. Why would they think businesses would pay inflated retail?

SmartSelect_20240404_133841_Facebook.jpg

There are also links for business.jewelosco.com and business.shaws.com.

I don’t know why ACI is getting into business delivery…

[Romr123]

anything to add a stop for the delivery truck---particularly for offices there is likely less sensitivity to exact timing (anytime in the afternoon versus narrow windows for individual orders)

[Alpha8472]

When I worked at a Structural Engineering company, the receptionist would order snacks and drinks to stock the office refrigerator from Safeway.com There are many little offices all over that prefer the convenience of delivery over cost. The company was profitable and free snacks were unlimited. The Safeway delivery guy would even stock our refrigerator for us.

A business account would have been nice.

[HCal]

Many businesses buy stuff from supermarkets... this isn't at all unusual. Offices may need break room supplies like coffee and snacks, restaurants may need a few specialized ingredients that Sysco doesn't have, or a company may need sandwiches and fruit platters for an employee lunch. I don't know how much this program will do in sales, but the cost is probably minimal so even a small number of orders will help the stores.

[ClownLoach]

anything to add a stop for the delivery truck---particularly for offices there is likely less sensitivity to exact timing (anytime in the afternoon versus narrow windows for individual orders)

I would imagine fulfillment is by Doordash like everything else. This seems to be focused on deli orders and such for meetings when I first look at the website, but the items don't exactly match the headings of snack platters and such. The majority of it looks like regular groceries at regular (high) prices.

And with all the orders I've placed for meetings and such over the years I would say businesses are far more sensitive to delivery time windows. If I am having a meeting at 9am and I want doughnuts, bagels, coffee and fruit trays at 8am then they had damned better be there at 8am on the dot because I can't go chase it down as I'm going to be stuck setting up for my meeting.

This sounds like a example of something that could build tremendous bad will for the brand if not executed flawlessly. And if the big boss who is coming in to town for a meeting has a disruption because of flawed delivery or errors from Vons then there are hundreds of people who are going to hear about it. They should not tiptoe into these waters unless they are sure they can do this flawlessly due to the unfortunate big egos of business.

Somehow Panera despite all their flaws had a perfect business boxed lunch ordering platform that would have every individual persons customized order, boxed and packaged neatly and labeled with their name on it, always delivered exactly on time by their own employees (usually a manager) and not gig workers. I always thought they served better quality food for these business orders than regular customers orders. There was a Baja Fresh franchise location I would use in one of the places I'd get stuck hosting meetings at where once again I got better quality food in massive volume at a huge discount delivered. But many others would fail to make the mark. Einstein Bagels was not reliable. Starbucks was not reliable for even so much as a couple of coffee travelers. Dunkin not reliable. Subway maybe reliable but always inedible.

In business especially when you're the one stuck hosting the meeting and usually some big executives who are flying in, everything has to be perfect and the only places you'll go to are those who have been performing every time you've called upon them. It's all the reputation the business earns. I am unsure ACI has even nailed down regular home delivery since outsourcing most of it, and I would not expand anything until the first part is perfect. If I'm going to be judged on the execution of the meeting then I'm certainly not going to try something new like Vons for Business.

[storewanderer]

I guess Vons for Business thinks they can do office delivery of product. It isn't unusual for offices to order coffee and other supplies from providers like Amazon and Costco. The office supply chains have the light food offer of mostly small snacks/coffee so they may think they can somehow get customers to use this service.

Or offer catering of prepared foods.

But someone who works in an office could just go to Vons.com and do a delivery to the office like any other delivery.

Their pricing is so high there is no way anyone would use them for resale.

They may be advertising the tax exempt thing so they can deliver to non profit organizations.

[Romr123]

When I mentioned time sensitivity, I was talking more about the orders for shelf-stable and hardy produce type stuff (imagining orders for coffee/break room/etc plus a bag of apples and a 5# bag of tangerines for the fruit bowl on the counter) rather than meal catering (which does need to happen on-the-dot).

One doesn't invalidate the other, but I saw this as less for catering (as you indicate, Panera etc do a pretty darn good job of hitting their marks for delivery and mass appeal) and more for letting the "receptionist not have to grab apples and oranges on their next trip to the store and take it out of petty cash"