Giant Eagle Offers 91 Stores for Secure Person-to-Person Transactions
Giant Eagle Inc. is making it easier for customers in the Northeast to find secure locations for meeting to exchange goods.
The Pittsburgh-based retailer is partnering with mobile marketplace OfferUp to give customers who buy or sell items within the company's mobile app the ability to select one of 91 Giant Eagle, Market District and GetGo locations as a designated Community MeetUp Spot, where they can complete transactions in a secure location.
Millions of people use OfferUp every day to buy and sell items not only to friends and neighbors, but also new acquaintances. Trust and safety are paramount in creating positive experiences, and each OfferUp Community MeetUp Spot is monitored, well lit and surveilled.
"OfferUp's partnership with Giant Eagle is the first of its kind between a local marketplace and leading supermarket retailer. We're both community-driven companies that thrive on delivering friendly and trusted experiences for our customers," said Natalie Angelillo, VP of community at Bellevue, Wash.-based OfferUp. "This is about providing our customers with value and convenience, regardless of whether they're buying something from their neighbor, shopping for groceries or fueling up their tank."
Earlier this year, OfferUp created SafeTradeSpots.com, said to be the largest national database of locations for in-person transactions. The company already collaborates with more than 1,400 police departments across the country to designate and manage their versions of a Community MeetUp Spot, which helps ensure that buyers and sellers can meet for in-person transactions with peace of mind.
Adding popular retail locations from Giant Eagle to OfferUp's current list of safe exchange spots adds to the core customer safety features in the app, which include TruYou identity confirmation, user ratings and reviews, and secure in-app messaging that allows customers to communicate without having to share their personal information.
The partnership also includes a digital coupon for OfferUp customers to get a free 16-ounce bottle of Market District Ready-to-Drink Tea or Lemonade from Giant Eagle when they make plans to meet at a participating Giant Eagle, Market District or GetGo location. The coupon is available for a limited time.
Giant Eagle operates 410 stores throughout western Pennsylvania, north central Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. The retailer is No. 16 on Progressive Grocer's Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.