As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, e. Stores are booming again: orders are above the quarantine level in some places, hiring more staff

Capture record sales

Online supermarket Pigu.lt Ernestas Kačerauskas, Marketing Director, says he not only sees overall growth, but also record sales. For example, in April, compared to the same period last year, Pigu.lt recorded 80 percent. increase. According to the data for the last quarter, e. store sales grew about 30 percent.

“If we analyze the situation of the last months, it is believed that the summer trade is a bit calmer, but we only rest for a month. With the rapid expansion of the number of stores and the range of products in our supermarket, we have received a lot of interest from customers and sales have been stable for several months. If we count the orders, 40 percent of them. more than last year “, – says E. Kačerauskas.

According to him, the biggest change is seen in the regions. Compared to the same period last year, more active buyers in the Marijampolė, Vilnius and Kaunas districts, as well as a significant increase in the number of orders among residents of the Tauragė, Mažeikiai and Marijampolė districts, because this year Pigu opened its physical stores and collection points here.

Mainly currently e. store customers buy personal hygiene and protection items such as face masks, shields, smart watches and bracelets on request, email. scooters, cosmetics and perfumes. Traditionally, coffee is a common purchase among Lithuanians.

“Comparing the shopping cart now and only after the announcement of the quarantine, sports and leisure goods, furniture, interior and home repair items were a little more relevant in the spring. Now the news of the season are the fruit dryers, clothes and shoes ”, he points out. Pigu.lt Marketing manager.

The number of orders is much higher than in August

Residents can also order food at home at Iki retail chain stores via the Lithuanian LastMile app. The platform manager, Tadas Norušaitis, tells Delfi that this year e. for sales: excellent, there is a big increase in the number of orders.

“Currently, the number of orders is lower than in March, but much higher than in August. The largest increase in the number of orders is recorded in the capital and Kaunas. At that time, growth in Klaipėda, Panevėžys and Šiauliai is not significant ”, says T. Norušaitis.

According to him, after the announcement of the quarantine, groceries and non-perishable products dominated the baskets, but the demand for these products increased slightly in September. The main positions in sales are currently occupied by fresh fruits, vegetables and meat products.

The number of orders has reached the quarantine level.

According to Barbora, the largest e-food and grocery store, the number of orders has been growing steadily since August, and in September the flow is a fifth higher than in July and reached the level of March.

“We monitor the dynamics of growth of orders and the number of customers, which is similar to the pre-quarantine period. As of the beginning of March, in August we noticed that on the days when new COVID-19 chimneys were announced in Lithuania or neighboring countries, the number of orders soared.
September was even more intense: we delivered more orders than in March. Both regular customers, whose base has grown significantly after the quarantine, and new customers are returning more actively, and we see new customers reappearing ”, says Andrius Mikalauskas, Director of Barbora.

The. According to the store, not only residents of large cities, but also regions of the regions are more actively shopping online. According to A. Mikalauskas, if in spring electronic commerce was still a novelty for many residents of the region, which they had to get used to, now it is easier and faster for them to go from physical stores to electronic ones. Orders through Barbora Express in smaller cities and towns grew 45% in September compared to August.

Buyers behave more rationally

The director of Barbora points out that he is currently noticing a slightly different trend than quarantine, when both the flow of orders and the size of the baskets grew faster.

“During the quarantine, the demand for products such as fresh chicken, some organic vegetables, heavy sweets, various sauces and spreads, and some products – up to 10 times. This trend was formed by the change of habits due to the long stay at home – more frequent cooking at home, as well as a greater desire to pamper yourself.

Currently, the order flow is growing steadily, but the size of the baskets remains stable. We are seeing a more rational behavior on the part of buyers: there is no attempt to buy products in ‘stock’, we are acquiring the products we need in the next few days. This shows that a large part of the population has become accustomed to shopping online, and this has already become a common way of buying food: placing an order even when fast food products are needed, such as bread, milk, etc. “A. Mikalauskas.

Despite increased customer activity, Barbora offers free home delivery throughout the month of October. However, the manager points out that the free shipping offer is not related to order flow. We want more users to try the service.

More buyers with the introduction of mandatory use of masks

According to Rimi Lietuva e. After the introduction of quarantine in Lithuania, Vaidas Lukoševičius, director of the commercial format, only stores Rimi.lt sales grew very strongly. Due to the coronavirus situation, Rimi Lietuva also received more online shoppers in late summer, when the decision was made to wear mandatory masks.

“In the summer months and in September e. store Rimi.lt the number has grown due to the ever-expanding geography of delivery and collection points, promotions and innovations, for example since the end of July Rimi.lt It is possible to purchase a freight delivery account, which delivers the goods to your home free of charge for 30 days, ”says V. Lukoševičius.

Significant changes in the structure of buyer baskets or the “stock” of obvious purchases, as was the case in March-April, so far e. the store does not notice. Shoppers buy everyday products for the family and home as usual.

Plans to hire more staff

As the number of orders increased, almost all those interviewed by Delfi e. stores are planning to expand the team. Expanding its network of physical stores and collection points and with e. commercial platform work team Pigu.lt more employees were hired already in the spring. During this year Pigu.lt you have employed over 100 people, you are currently looking for almost the same amount.

“Most of the employees are needed to work in the warehouse and stores in the regions, but we are also expanding IT, e. commercial platforms and marketing teams, ”says E. Kačerauskas.

Expand the geography of goods delivery and strengthen the service, for example, expanding Rimi.lt fleet, it was necessary to hire more personnel.

We are currently looking for specialists in the collection and delivery of goods. If the demand for services grows due to the change in the pandemic situation in the country, we will also invest in the search and hiring of new employees, mainly messengers and merchandise collectors ”, says Rimi Lietuva e. Director of Commerce.

The person in charge of the LastMile platform points out that the search for new employees is constant: “With the trend in the number of orders, the search for couriers is a constant process of our company, we are looking for couriers and collectors”.

At that time, the owner of Barbora ensures that lately the number of employees in the company is sufficient to fulfill all the orders, so he does not see the need to hire more team members. Barbora currently employs 35%. more workers than before quarantine.

Solved the problem of delivery of goods.

Due to the quarantine introduced in Lithuania, the food delivery platform counted the orders up to 10 times. Businesses at the time said they were receiving 2-3 day advance orders and emails. In stores, the next home delivery could only be selected after one week. Today, company representatives claim that this problem no longer exists, and free time can be found on the same day or the next day.

“Having started from the beginning of the quarantine, we have been intensively developing our services: technical capabilities and staff, who, having gained experience, now effectively manage e. buy customer orders.

More options Rimi.lt “Rimi Drive, which operates in the capital and operates in the capital,” offers buyers alternative means of picking up goods at the desired time: at designated points, located in easily accessible shopping centers and without leaving the car, “he says Lukoševičius. Rimi.lt Buyers can find same-day or next-day free time and schedule delivery of goods accordingly at a time that is most convenient for them.

The owner of Barbora also assures that the greater capacity to fulfill more orders now allows to deliver the merchandise the same day. Given the change in buyer behavior, he predicts that the quarantine situation should not happen again.

“During the quarantine, we implemented a series of changes and improvements to our IT system to serve a greater flow of orders. Barbora also has a larger team of employees who collect and transport goods. Currently, we are able to fulfill twice as many orders as before the quarantine, even with the increasing flow of orders, on the same day that we deliver the products ordered before 5 pm, ”says A. Mikalauskas.

The LastMile platform currently delivers goods in one hour, and it is also possible to select the desired delivery time. “Our model is based on the sharing economy, so we can quickly attract the necessary resources for export orders, on which the provision of possible delivery windows to the users of our platform depends,” says T. Norušaitis.