Study: Target, Walmart and Albertson’s overall top e-commerce grocery performers

A new study underscores the critical role that seamless online shopping experiences and flexible fulfillment methods play in driving grocery shopper satisfaction.

That’s according to market research and polling company Ipsos, whose report  ranks the performance of top 17 grocery brands on e-commerce methods and digital transformation. Target, Walmart and Albertson’s emerged as overall top performers within the American retail grocery landscape, with each seeing marked improvements year over year. 

The rankings varied, however, across different shopping methods:

•For the delivery category, respondents viewed Whole Foods Market as the grocer with the best communication (with 83% “very satisfied”), while Albertson’s was the brand shoppers said they were most likely to buy from again (61% extremely likely to use again).

•For curbside pickup, Albertson’s ranked highest (with 97% very satisfied), while Amazon Fresh was the brand that shoppers said they were most likely to use again (76% extremely likely to use again).

“Big-box retailers who sell groceries are making significant ecommerce and infrastructure investments to streamline the ordering and fulfillment processes, from signage and parking to staffing,” said Silvana Daehn, VP with Ipsos’ channel performance.  “Their goal is to make the buying of groceries and other household items a single, seamless transaction. Pure-play grocers need to invest to keep up.”

Along with category rankings, the report identified pain points in the customer experience and the amenities that shoppers say they value the most. Unsurprisingly, Ipsos noted, reliability and accuracy emerged as key factors in these rankings. 

“But this ages-old emphasis on trustworthiness is now playing out across new platforms and points of sale, serving as a reminder that the grocery e-commerce environment has evolved — and that brand managers must be investing in online grocery shopping experiences to remain competitive,” the company said.

The Ipsos report draws upon a fall 2023 survey of 1,200 Americans, a series of mystery shopping experiences, and an analysis and ranking of key purchase consideration drivers across online, BOPIS and curbside pick-up shopping journeys.