SUPERMARKETS ONLINE, HABIT OF FEW Migdalia Casorla
Capital
service virtual supermarket or online is not a new concept in Panama. And Riba Smith supermarket, Super 99 and Smart Price and offer this assistance to their customers, leading to their homes and offices all sorts of products from their establishments to pay a surcharge of $ 5 to $ 7. Other similar businesses like Kosher Super SA, are considering doing so well.
is a benefit to customers highly specialized, value-added. Who uses it achieves a significant saving of time, not having to make the long lines and through each of the corridors to purchase items you are looking for, and also saves the costs of relocation, which are compounded daily vehicular dams are registered in Panama. Moreover, it is very suitable for physically disabled or elderly.
Oscar García, national director of Free Competition, believes that it is a good option for consumers by lifestyle find it difficult to go to the supermarket.
The official said that this type of service can lead to some discrepancies, because the products do not directly choose the possibility of claims increases, especially with meat and vegetables, which may not be in the best conditions when the release is done. These problems do not occur with packaged and canned products.
Garcia said that so far has not received complaints from consumers who use online shopping.
Some supermarkets do not offer this value added by the costs involved, including new technology and extra staff to fill orders and bring them to their final destination. In addition, many locals do not have extra space for distribution and outbound logistics.
On the other hand, this service is not as necessary or as demanded by the banking community as line. For all this we can conclude that "going to spend some time for this service is considered by all supermarket chains," the director of Free Competition.
Carlos Ramon Smith, vice president of Riba Smith, says the results of the 'super' virtual 'have been good if we consider the customer satisfaction and good service rendered. "
However, the merchant says business is not economically profitable, it is very expensive to offer, so you think that's one reason why many of its competitors have not entered it.
As for expansion plans, Smith said by the time his company has no immediate plans in that direction. "We hope the crisis passes, we are now in school." Capital
consulted Super 99 and Smart Price on their experiences with these services, but at press time had not received a response. Analyze the possibility
Mauricio Rodriguez, manager of Super Kosher SA, said that for now has not been considered to offer this service to their customers, because we still have a completely segmented target market and specific and because their customers prefer to shop in person at the supermarket.
However, Rodriguez did not rule out the possibility of developing this strategy within three to five years.
Meanwhile, Marta Alvarado, manager of corporate communications Rey Group, said that this service is not in their future plans, so they continue their growth and expansion plan, involving the opening of the supermarket recently Romero in City of David. King
Group plans to open three new stores in the next 18 months: King Chitre, the first in the region of Azuero, Rey Centennial Park, in the way of the Centennial Bridge, and King Plaza Versailles.
