Dayton, Ohio-based Dorothy Lane Markets said this week that it is expanding on the DLM Drive-Up click-and-collect service that it introduced earlier this year with a new delivery service that, along with a new and enhanced website, it is operating itself.
"Earlier this year, our goal was to improve the overall experience of our online grocery shopping service. Now, we’re ready to move forward by enhancing the convenience factor even more,” said Patrick Arnold, DLM’s IT Director.
According to the company, all grocery orders will be shopped from the DLM Washington Square location for both the curbside and delivery options; click-and-collect is available seven days a week, while delivery only is available on weekdays for the moment. There is a $5.99 Shoppers Fee applied to every order placed via www.DLMDriveUp.com. For delivery, an additional $9.99 will be applied.
"Earlier this year, our goal was to improve the overall experience of our online grocery shopping service. Now, we’re ready to move forward by enhancing the convenience factor even more,” said Patrick Arnold, DLM’s IT Director.
According to the company, all grocery orders will be shopped from the DLM Washington Square location for both the curbside and delivery options; click-and-collect is available seven days a week, while delivery only is available on weekdays for the moment. There is a $5.99 Shoppers Fee applied to every order placed via www.DLMDriveUp.com. For delivery, an additional $9.99 will be applied.
- KC's View:
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The thing that I admire so much about DLM is the fact that they understand the importance of controlling the entire process as much as possible; they know that their brand equity and value proposition are tied to being both different and better than everybody else, and that abdicating the company's role at any level would risk the critical and intimate connection it has with its shoppers.
The folks at Dorothy Lane Market get it.
Not everybody would do this, and not everybody can do this. But I do think that every company needs to think about this, and determine the places where it needs to be involved and where it does not. To me, picking and delivery are places where the store needs to participate, not outsource ... because this is where the store (if it is any good at all) ought to have differentiated expertise.
Of course, if there is no differentiated expertise, maybe it doesn't really matter who picks and delivers product.
