Instacart intros 'Instacart Platform' for retailers

Instacart shared that it is launching a new platform that offers key new fulfillment, advertising and insights capabilities for retailers, naming such retailers as “Publix, ALDI, Schnuck Markets, Good Food Holdings, Plum Market, Key Food, Food Bazaar and more.”

Instacart Platform offers retailers access to the technologies behind Instacart’s consumer marketplace to power their own digital properties and retail operations, the company said.

[Read more: Stop and Shop, Instacart partner on 30-minute delivery service]

"Instacart Platform brings together the technologies retailers need to improve the consumer experience online or in-store and digitize the end-to-end grocery operation. Some retailers will choose to use some of these technologies a-la-carte, while others might benefit from having all of these solutions on one connected platform that works seamlessly across channels," the company said.

Instacart Platform is comprised of:

• E-commerce storefronts custom-built for grocers and a-la-carte recommendation and merchandising capabilities;
• Solutions for grocers to do online delivery and pickup from stores or warehouses, from 15-minute ultrafast to next-day delivery;
•  Digital integrations and connected hardware to enhance the brick-and-mortar store experience, from scanless carts to technology that helps manage operations; 
• Advertising solutions to help brands connect and engage with consumers in the digital aisles; and
• Data tools to help retailers optimize operations, provide more connected experiences and make informed business decisions.

“The grocery industry is undergoing a digital transformation where customers expect a seamless experience across many channels, but behind the scenes it’s taking an incredible amount of work and investment for retailers to deliver these new services,” said Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart. “We’re looking to change that with Instacart Platform. We started as the e-commerce and fulfillment partner of choice for grocers, and we’ve been building on that foundation to broaden and deepen our capabilities, in order to help retailers innovate faster than ever on their own properties.”

[Read more: Giant, Instacart partner on instant delivery from all stores] 

Instacart Platform offers three capabilities to help retailers better serve their customers: 

• Carrot Ads opens up new digital revenue streams for retailers by bringing the best of Instacart advertising — including the company’s industry leading technology, products, engineering and sales talent, as well as data insights — to retailers’ owned and operated e-commerce sites. Carrot Ads unlocks new monetization capabilities, including revenue share models, to create an additional source of profit for retailers. Instacart is currently piloting its new ad service with Schnuck Markets, Good Food Holdings and Plum Market, and other select retailers, with plans to roll it out more broadly later this year.
• Carrot Warehouses helps retailers create more flexible, local fulfillment models to unlock capabilities such as 15-minute ultrafast delivery. As a full-stack solution within Instacart Platform, Instacart works with retailers to enable end-to-end fast delivery solutions customized to their needs, including building new nano-fulfillment centers, devising floor plans, establishing automation services and running ongoing operations. In an industry first, Carrot Warehouses will power 15-minute ultrafast delivery for Publix customers in Atlanta and Miami over the coming months.
• Carrot Insights gives retailers near real-time visibility into their operations to help them make informed, proactive business decisions. Carrot Insights dashboards track key performance and operational metrics such as order volumes and out of stocks across Instacart Platform and retailers’ own Instacart App storefronts. Instacart’s new data analytics software helps retailers better understand geographic sales, out of stocks and customer buying trends. Carrot Insights is helping retailers like Key Food manage and optimize their omnichannel operations, and is live today for all Instacart Platform customers.

“Our goal is to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience. Partnering with Instacart and leveraging Instacart Platform technologies has enabled us to build, maintain and grow a robust e-commerce business,” said Bob Hardester, chief information and supply chain officer at Schnuck Markets. “We’re excited to expand our long-standing partnership by launching Carrot Ads to power advertising across our digital offering amongst other capabilities, and give customers even more ways to discover new products and old favorites from Schnucks.”

[Read more: Instacart, Dollar Tree expand partnership] 

“Instacart Platform continues to fuel our omnichannel strategy, powering delivery and curbside pickup across our markets. Our partnership also enables Publix to serve customers in new ways, solving for additional customer use cases by enabling meals delivery and virtual convenience,” said Maria Brous, director of communications at Publix. “Our new NFCs, built with Instacart Platform, unlock ultrafast delivery in our major metro areas, allowing customers to get what they need in as fast as 15 minutes. We are eager to continue to test and iterate on these new concepts as consumer needs continue to evolve.”