The discounter Aldi Süd will start an online delivery service in June, initially to the headquarters in Mühlheim.
The test run will initially take place among employees. A total of around 1300 items, and thus a large part of the range, should be available.
The project aims to gain initial practical experience with the business model. It remains to be seen whether the delivery service will remain cost-covering in the long term.
Aldi Süd products will soon not only be available in stores, but also to be ordered online. After long preparations, the discounter will start the delivery service in June, as reported by the “Lebensmittel Zeitung”. The project begins in the main area around the Mülheim headquarters. The test run will initially take place among employees. Via the website and the app, customers can have products from the dry range, refrigerated items and frozen goods delivered to their homes.
A total of around 1300 items, and thus a large part of the range, should be available. The prices should be identical to those in stationary shops, in addition there is a delivery fee. Delivery from Monday to Saturday is by electric delivery vehicles from a dark store. Customers are offered fixed time slots for this.
Aldi Süd delivers groceries for the first time – in this area
In the fourth quarter, all consumers in the Mülheim area should be able to order groceries from Aldi Süd. The test is carried out in close cooperation with Aldi International. The offer of the online delivery service has been under discussion for a long time. But there were initially concerns as to whether the stationary business would be affected. Overall, the Mülheim-based company achieves net sales of around 16 billion euros.
The aim of the concept is first of all to gain initial practical experience with a business model with which no provider has yet made money. At a later date, the Mülheim-based company also wants to test a Click & Collect offer. However, stationary trade should remain the core of the business.
The group’s foreign companies have already tested online delivery services in the past, for example in the USA and Great Britain. As part of these pilots, the German national company is now gaining practical experience with an online delivery model for the first time. The basis for this was created by the global IT platform of the discounter. As a software partner for the delivery service, Aldi Süd uses a Spryker solution.
Due to the current inflation, it remains to be seen whether the offer can be implemented to cover costs in the long term.
jpog