Order online, pick up at FairPrice outlet

SINGAPORE - Busy people can now order groceries online and pick them up at an NTUC FairPrice store after work, with the launch of a new service by the supermarket chain.

This Click & Collect service is expected to appeal to those who like the convenience of buying things such as diapers or soft drinks online but have nobody at home to wait for the deliveries.

Customers who use the service have to order 24 hours in advance and collect their purchases after 6pm. They need to pay a fee of about $3 but can collect their items from a designated booth - likely avoiding long queues.

The service is available at seven FairPrice outlets in places such as Bedok North and Clementi. It will be extended to a total of 27 stores next year.

"This innovative service will not only cater to customers who may be time- stretched, juggling work and family commitments, but also to those who are looking for convenient ways to purchase their daily necessities," said Mr Seah Kian Peng, chief executive officer of NTUC FairPrice.

FairPrice, which already has an online delivery service at $7 for $60 or more worth of groceries, is doing more business online.

It saw a 15 per cent increase in online sales in the first half of the year, against the same period last year. Active online subscribers also rose by 20 per cent to 45,000.

Financial adviser Cheng Kai Yuan said the new service would be especially useful for purchases like drinks.

"But for things I need to pick and choose, I will probably still do my shopping at the store itself," the 26-year-old added.

The supermarket chain has also enhanced the browsing functions of its online shopping portal. These include being able to filter for products by attributes such as halal- certified or trans-fat free.

This article was first published on Sep 4, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.