My Letter to Grocers: A Recipe for Disaster

Dear Grocer,

I like you, I really do. Your business is not easy. I see the work. I recognize the hustle. But by allowing independent shoppers with little knowledge of your store, operations, or product placement, you’re risking your brand’s reputation in exchange for fast delivery—a trade-off I don’t believe is a good long-term strategy. Every chat, replacement, and refund is a touchpoint between the shopper and your customer. And every one of those interactions directly reflects on your store’s brand. If you’re not actively cultivating a community of shoppers who are eager to learn and understand your store and its operations in order to provide better service, you’re essentially gambling your brand’s marketing dollars in a lottery machine you can’t control.

It’s a Gamble You Can’t Afford to Lose

Imagine this: A customer places an order through a delivery app, fully trusting your store to deliver the quality and convenience they’re paying for. But what happens when that shopper—a temporary, uninformed stand-in for your in-store experience—starts making decisions? They can’t find the quinoa. They don’t understand the difference between regular and organic. So, they substitute. They guess. They shrug. They refund.

For any marketing person, the grocery list gives a general profile of the person we’re shopping for. More often than not, you can identity the customer as a value or brand-specific one. You can see preferences in dairy- or gluten-free, or notice most of the items are from the weekly ad. These tidbits of info are valuable in our attempt to understand the customer for a smooth ride. But not all shoppers will think along these lines, not with a timer tick-tocking away changing into colors of urgency.

Your customer ends up frustrated, and the worst part is, they’re not blaming the shopper. They’re blaming *you*. The store that once earned their trust is now associated with a careless shopping experience. Why? Because every mistake that independent shopper makes reflects directly on your brand.

Fast Isn’t Always Better

We get it—everyone’s chasing the promise of fast delivery. It’s the holy grail of modern retail: convenience at the speed of a click. But if fast comes at the cost of quality service, is it really worth it? When shoppers are rushing through orders, unfamiliar with your store layout, your products, or even basic customer service principles, your reputation takes the hit. And here’s the kicker: all those carefully crafted marketing campaigns, loyalty programs, and in-store promotions? They’re undone in one bad grocery delivery.

A better method would be to encourage an “in-store experience” that promotes the Butcher Bundle deal to save significant amounts over buying meat products individually, or recommending customers wait a day to take advantage of the Buy 2, Get 3 soda promotion happening tomorrow. It’s these types of actions that build loyal and trust back into the grocery store and the shopper representation.

Independent Shoppers Need to Represent Your Store—Not Just Themselves

Here’s the solution: you need to take a proactive role in educating and training independent shoppers. They are, for all intents and purposes, ambassadors of your brand. If they’re not equipped with the knowledge of your store’s layout, your specialty items, and your customer service standards, they will inevitably fail. And when they fail, your store’s reputation suffers. Cultivating a group of shoppers who understand your operations and value your products is essential.

Every Shopper Interaction is a Branding Opportunity

The truth is, every chat, every replacement, and every refund is an opportunity for customer service—or a missed one. Independent shoppers, though temporary, are creating hundreds of micro-interactions that define how customers feel about your store. When those touchpoints are handled poorly, it leaves a lasting impression. And that impression? It’s branding, for better or worse.

Educate and Elevate: The Key to Better Service

If you’re not actively creating a community of shoppers who are invested in learning about your store’s offerings, values, and operations, you’re essentially leaving your brand’s reputation to chance. These shoppers should be more than just bodies filling an order—they should understand the nuances of your store and its products, and be willing to serve customers with the same level of care your in-house team provides. When shoppers are educated and empowered, they deliver better service. And better service translates to stronger brand loyalty.

The Long-Term Play

In the end, quick fixes like fast delivery may offer short-term gains, but a careless approach to service will erode your brand’s reputation over time. It’s time to shift focus. Instead of simply chasing speed, invest in the knowledge and skill set of the shoppers representing your store. If you don’t, you may find that the jackpot you’re chasing is as elusive as that missing bag of groceries. The customers are asking for better service so we should probably listen and do something about it. That’s all.

-Jonathan