Brazilian retailer GPA has implemented an omnichannel retail strategy in a São Paulo store with the aim of improving profitability through digital innovations.
In a first for the retail giant, the Itaim Bibi Extra Hiper hypermarket now offers customers access to new solutions developed by GPA for a more practical and time-saving shopping experience.
It includes a range of different and services in the physical store, and on its website and app.
New Services
One of the main novelties is the Caixa Hora Certa feature. It allows customers registered in the Clube Extra loyalty programme to schedule the time of payment for their grocery purchases at the checkout counter, to avoid queuing. Presently, the service can be accessed via the app.
They can also opt to pay via smartphones, wristbands or other contactless, payment technology-enabled devices, without the need to use a bank card or cash.
For online shoppers, Extra has integrated its food operation with the Clube Extra platform. Customers can access the quick delivery option, which delivers products on the same day, within four hours. They can also pick-up their purchases from the Itaim Bibi Extra Hiper store.
The retailer plans to roll out the concept in other Extra Hiper stores during the course of the year.
Digital Transformation Process
As part of the digital transformation process of the Pão de Açúcar and Extra banners, GPA has partnered with food-tech companies to source more than 200 products and sell them in its stores.
The retailer has also created its own 'GPA - Foodtech' space at Cubo Itaú, and maintains a partnership with the Liga Retail for prospecting and relationship.
GPA's first partnership with a food tech was with Cheftime, which sells portioned gastronomic kits which customers can easily prepare at home. The kits are available in 28 Pão de Açúcar stores.
Its other food tech partners include fruit-juice company, Juice Lab; organic teas and energy drinks brand Organique, vegan superfood and organic snacks label, Flow; and natural snacks line, B.eat.
The retailer has also teamed up with ice cream company, Moti-Moti; preservatives-free frozen food provider, Helpie; and hyperproteic powder-food company, +Mu.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
