HATFIELD, England, May 2 /PRNewswire/ --
- Peak Customers Could be in for an Annual Saving of Over GBP300
Online grocery retailer of the year, Ocado, has become the
first grocery delivery business in the UK to offer customers a pre-paid
'Delivery Pass' that could reduce the annual household expenditure of
customers who order at peak times by more than GBP300.
The move coincides with a time when many consumers are seeking
out ways to reduce costs and comes hot on the heels of Ocado slashing prices
on over 5,000 branded goods to match Tesco.
The 'Delivery Pass' service offers Ocado customers unlimited*
free deliveries on orders of GBP40 or more (the company's minimum order
requirement) plus priority access to two Christmas delivery slots which are
massively over-subscribed each year. One Christmas delivery slot, the most
expensive of which usually costs around GBP10, will be free within the cost
of the pass. To participate, customers will be directed to a dedicated area
of http://www.ocado.com where they will pay a one-off fee of GBP95.
The average weekly delivery fee for an Ocado order is around
GBP3 which is the lowest in the online grocery industry. A growing number of
busy people are prepared to pay such a fee in order to earn back precious
time formerly spent shopping in a supermarket. Rising petrol prices are also
making people think harder. The environmental benefits of opting for Ocado
over driving to a supermarket are also proving a very popular draw for the
company. Every single Ocado van takes up to 40 family cars off the road every
day.
Large numbers of Ocado customers are still in a position to
take delivery of their groceries at off-peak times and, as a result, they
benefit from free or reduced price delivery slots. For those whose only
option is to take a peak delivery slot, the savings made by opting for a
'Delivery Pass' will be significant.
Commenting on the development, Ocado co-founder, Jason
Gissing, said, "We are on a mission to deliver the best possible value to
customers whilst still meeting their demands for premium quality and superior
service. The Delivery Pass could save hundreds of pounds for those customers
who have no option but to order at our busiest times. For Ocado, the benefit
is that we can plan for the future safe in the knowledge that our customer
base has yet another reason to remain loyal to us."
The pre-paid 'Delivery Pass' service is optional and does not
lock customers into pre-determined delivery slots. Initially, it will be
launched to a sample of 1,000 customers in the London area. Once the trial is
complete, Ocado will announce timing for a national roll-out.
NOTES:
* terms and conditions apply including fair usage
For further information, please contact:
Bernadette Ahmed
+44(0)7867-901720
bernadette.ahmed@ocado.com
Ocado
