Online Grocers Experienced Boom in 2008
Bucking recessionary trends, online grocers such as FreshDirect have seen their sales grow impressively over the past year, according to a published report.
Sales at Gopher Grocery, a company operating out of Minnesota, grew 203 percent in 2008, the company's president told Inc. magazine. The e-grocer serves 3,000 registered users and charges $2 per delivery up to $100, after which delivery is free.
FreshDirect, which serves 250,000 customers in the New York metro area, also had an upsurge in sales in the last quarter of 2008 according to its chief marketing officer, who didn't supply specific numbers to the publication.
"We had a bang-up fall," Steve Druckman told the publication, "and we're doing better than we've ever done in our history for a lot of different reasons beside the economy. But the economy helps." Druckman also attributed much of the company's success to a recently implemented loyalty program, which charges a fee in exchange for free delivery over $30.
Sales at Gopher Grocery, a company operating out of Minnesota, grew 203 percent in 2008, the company's president told Inc. magazine. The e-grocer serves 3,000 registered users and charges $2 per delivery up to $100, after which delivery is free.
FreshDirect, which serves 250,000 customers in the New York metro area, also had an upsurge in sales in the last quarter of 2008 according to its chief marketing officer, who didn't supply specific numbers to the publication.
"We had a bang-up fall," Steve Druckman told the publication, "and we're doing better than we've ever done in our history for a lot of different reasons beside the economy. But the economy helps." Druckman also attributed much of the company's success to a recently implemented loyalty program, which charges a fee in exchange for free delivery over $30.