Russian retailer X5 Retail Group has introduced a new express delivery service, Okolo, which aims to facilitate speedy deliveries from shoppers' local stores.
Okolo, which translates in English as 'nearby', relies on partnerships with local small businesses, offering express delivery in cities across Russia, particularly in the food and ready-to-eat segments.
Couriers engage with the programme using a mobile app, on which they can accept delivery requests update their order status, and manage their itineraries.
According to X5 Retail Group chief executive Igor Shekhterman, the development of the platform came about due to a surge in interest in e-commerce services amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
'Booming Interest'
“The booming interest in X5’s online services witnessed in March, April and May 2020 led us to the decision to create a single technology platform to power express deliveries across our formats," he said.
"We wanted this platform to stand out in the market and reflect our customer engagement strategy. Okolo will help us embrace a single express delivery positioning and management system and unlock new potential in developing X5’s online channels.”
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
