Woolworths’ dark store

 

Woolworths, smartphoneWoolworths has opened its first dedicated online store, also known as a “dark store”, at Mascot in Sydney, to keep up with the growing popularity of online grocery shopping.

Previously the retailer would pick products to fulfil online grocery orders, in the early morning and evening, from supermarkets closest to the shoppers’ homes, but now it is considering opening dark stores in each of its major markets.

According to The Australian Financial Review, the 7000sqm dark store is laid out for optimal picking, and pickers have the flexibility to pick for longer in the morning and evening, without having to navigate their way around other shoppers. With increased demand, there is the scope to pick 24 hours a day.

The Mascot store is larger than Woolworths’ ­average supermarket, with more space in the docks for multiple delivery trucks to pull up at the same time.

The dark store will service areas from The Spit, to Maroubra, and out to Bankstown.

An average online basket spend is around $200 and customers who spend more than $300 are entitled to free delivery.

Woolworths will test the results of the Mascot store, before deciding whether to open dark stores in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Woolworths online grocery shopping app has been downloaded more than three million times, and is currently the most visited online food and liquor site in Australia.

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