Coles Online has expanded its offer to make shopping faster and easier for Australians than ever before with the arrival of Rapid Click&Collect, for the first-time promising customers they can collect their groceries in under 60 minutes of placing their online order.
Launched today at Coles' next generation supermarket at Southland in Victoria, Coles is the first major retailer to launch an under 60-minute Click&Collect service.
Rapid Click&Collect in under 60 minutes allows customers to order from an extended range of over 20,000 products, some not usually offered for home delivery orders like the popular Coles hot roast chicken. Customers can also select from a range of local and international beer, wine and spirits from selected stores.
Following a pilot program earlier this year which saw the demand for Rapid Click&Collect almost double, the service is now available in almost 400 Coles stores around the country, with the offer rolling out to an additional 200 stores early next year.
Coles Chief Executive Officer Steven Cain said Coles customers are increasingly looking for more convenience when shopping and are seeking out omnichannel solutions that allow them to shop anytime, anywhere and anyhow.
"Our Rapid Click&Collect service has grown in popularity since launching in February last year," Mr Cain said.
"Our research shows the number one consideration for online shoppers is convenience and for click and collect customers it's immediate collection1. Rapid Click&Collect in under 60 minutes will make it easier for customers to have their groceries conveniently delivered to their car boot as quickly as possible when they don't have time to shop inside the store."
Customers can place an order for up to 40 items, with a minimum spend of $30 and a flat fee of $5 for orders to be picked, packed and ready for collection in under 60 minutes between 8:30am and 4:30pm daily2. Coles Plus members will continue to receive free Rapid Click&Collect as part of their membership subscription benefits.
For extra convenience, shoppers can use the Coles app to notify the store when they are on their way or have arrived to collect their Click&Collect order.
The launch comes as Coles officially opens its next generation of supermarkets in Melbourne's bayside suburb of Cheltenham, which showcases the latest technology and foodie innovations including digital integration across the store's grocery and fresh produce.
Coles Southland features Coles' largest ever Click&Collect area and in a first for Coles, customers will be greeted with digital screens navigating them to an available Click&Collect bay. The technology will enable team members to track customer arrivals and departures to reduce customer wait times - providing a new collection experience.
In addition to the new Click&Collect technology, the store is going digital for its customers and team including the launch of digital ticketing across the store's fresh produce and grocery aisles, helping customers find the great value products they love.
Southland is introducing digital scales in the fresh produce area which use artificial intelligence to automatically detect the fruit or vegetable weighed to speed up shopping in store, while across in the store's deli the introduction of new queue monitoring technology will reduce wait time for customers.
Christmas presents are easily sorted with the store offering a digital gift card kiosk to browse and purchase gift cards at the touch of a button.
Coles will also unveil its first convertible hybrid checkout at Southland designed to provide more choice for customers shopping in store. The hybrid checkout will rotate between self-service mode, or a traditional checkout experience serviced by a team member, depending on customers' preference.
Furthering Coles' commitment to sustainability, for the first time Southland customers will be able to bring their own container at the deli, scoop and weigh, frozen fruit, fruit and veg bar and the pet treat bar.
"We're excited to be bringing new technology-led innovations to Coles Southland that will make it easier for customers to shop the way they like by improving efficiencies and speed of service, while also reducing waste through initiatives including BYO containers," Mr Cain said.
The shopping experience inside the Southland store has been enhanced to create a destination for health, sustainability and convenience including:
• The addition of a fruit and veg bar where customers can have their fresh produce freshly sliced, diced and cauliflower riced or pick up a freshly squeezed juice on the go;
• 100% Aussie naked veggies and plastic free Aussie garden herbs;
• A new organics destination in an easier to shop format;
• A pick and mix fruit bar with frozen fruit sourced from Australian farms;
• Delicious warm bread from the instore bread warmer;
• Expanded range of convenience meals;
• Frozen bread by renowned Melbourne baker Laurent to bake at home; and
• A frozen desert bar with mochi, macarons and mini gelato plus the addition of single serve ice creams.
Coles Southland is making entertaining this festive season easier by creating a one stop destination for food and drink with the launch of Liquorland's first drive through Click&Collect service, delivering drinks right to your car. Southland's sleek new black-and-white branded Liquorland store features twice the amount of drink fridges, to easily pick up icy beverages on the run.
The Liquorland range has been tailored to bayside shoppers featuring over 130 Victorian producers, an expanded choice of seltzers and shines a spotlight on local wineries.
In partnership with food rescue organisation SecondBite, Coles Southland will donate all unsold, edible food, helping Australians in need. Customers can also donate products purchased at Southland at a dedicated SecondBite collection area located at the front of store. Coles and SecondBite have been working together since 2011 in the fight against hunger and food waste.
To reduce the store's environmental footprint Coles has installed doors on fridges throughout the store and uses natural refrigerant gases which have close to no global warming potential.
Supporting the local community, the team at Coles Southland will be supporting Cheltenham Primary School with a $5,000 donation to establish a Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program, to encourage students to adopt lifelong healthy eating habits.
To mark the opening and just in time for Christmas one lucky Flybuys member will be gifted 1 million Flybuys points, the equivalent of $5,000 off their shopping at Coles, at the launch.
Coles Southland will officially open it's new-look store on Wednesday 23 November, welcoming 55 new team members to the team. The store is located at Westfield Southland, 1239 Nepean Highway, Cheltenham 3192 and is open 8am – 11pm daily.
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