Disruption is the New Normal

Advancements in technology and innovation in ecommerce are paving the way for more interactive relationships between businesses and consumers. New channels are opening up, giving companies better ways to interact and engage their customers, which in turn create opportunities for even more innovation. This rapid cycle of disruption looks like it will continue, if not accelerate, over time. 

In April 2020, DoorDash launched a Convenience category, partnering with Walgreens, CVS, WaWa, 7-Eleven, and more. The company’s convenience category includes more than 2,500 shops across more than 1,100 cities nationwide. The company also announced Main Street Strong in May 2020, a new initiative called Storefront, that will help restaurants create their own custom websites and directly manage online pickup and delivery orders, similar to white-label online ordering providers like Olo and ChowNow.  

In support of these efforts, DoorDash announced the creation of DashMart, a new digital convenience store service that will allow the company to manage and deliver products using its own inventory. DashMart will offer both household essentials and local restaurant products that can be delivered to customers' doorsteps in minutes. Customers will be able to find thousands of products ranging from ice cream and chips to over-the-counter medicine, dog food, spices, and frozen packaged goods from local restaurants. This initiative and new service  category is a win-win as it opens more opportunities and convenience to the community while  partners get another distribution channel for their products and additional exposure for their brands. 

In May of 2020, REEF Technology, the largest operator of parking, mobility, and logistics hubs in North America, launched a small pilot program in Miami with DHL, providing logistics hubs for electric cargo bicycles. The short-term goal of DHL is to implement clean pickup and delivery solutions for 70 percent of its operations by 2025, according to a press release on DHL Express website. Each e-Cargo Cycle enables DHL to take one conventional delivery van off the road, reducing road traffic, noise, and pollution while still providing fast and efficient deliveries for customers.  

Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the growing trend of online shopping, it has encouraged experimentation, persuading consumers to explore different ways to engage with products and services. Mobile online shopping was already becoming more popular in 2019. Since the pandemic lockdown mandates, surveys show that a significant percentage of consumers have increased mobile shopping even further and over 80 percent of consumers said they will continue to shop online when social distance measures are removed.  

Companies are focused on finding innovative ways to continue to evolve as consumers look for ways to get convenient access to daily essentials. DashMart, Postmates, and another ecommerce convenience brand called goPuff are all vying for consumers' impulse purchases, fill-in trips, and overnight shopping by branding their companies in a unique way and establishing a differentiated position in the market that attracts new customers with growing needs. 

In today’s fast-moving digital age, building a strong brand experience requires flexibility, collaboration, and the ability to adapt. Developing a strong strategy starts with understanding the customer, the industry landscape, and the competition to create a brand experience that customers want to connect with. Now is the time to evolve with unique, innovative, and engaging solutions focused on building great customer experiences.