Instacart Takes Aim At Amazon And Walmart

Instacart is gearing up to launch a version of its site tailored to small businesses. This represents a challenge to AmazonAMZN
and WalmartWMT
as the delivery giant looks to capture new market share and boost revenues ahead of going public, according to The Information.

The small-business offering, which is under development, will use the name Instacart Business. It is said that it would display a selection of curated items such as office supplies, cleaning products, and snacks.

The move is designed to broaden the appeal of Instacart beyond its well-known grocery deliveries. It comes at a time when the company’s growth is flattening out just before the anticipated initial public offering. Informed sources say that Instacart has kept its IPO paperwork up-to-date and could commence the process once market conditions improve.

Instacart services many major retailers. For instance, from the densely populated zip-code area 10025 in New York City, products from the following major retailers are available through Instacart: Costco, Fairway, CVS, Petco, Staples, Sephora, Cork & Barrel Wine & Spirits, Lowe’s, Best BuyBBY
, Michael’s, Dicks, Wegman’s, Aldi, Food Bazaar, Western Market, Key Foods, Shop Rite, Stop & Shop, WalgreensWBA
, and BJ’s Wholesale. It is an impressive list of top major retailers.

Of course, Amazon Prime and Walmart+ are major competitors. Their delivery service excels and has forced the whole retail industry to be quicker with large and small deliveries.

There are also many other shipping and delivery options. Home Depot used Getcho for same day delivery. However, unlike other delivery services, Getcho makes curbside pick-ups and deliveries. You place a pick-up order at homedepot.com, then the Getcho app will send a driver to pick up your purchase. It certainly is important for bulky items.

Other shipping services include ShopRunner; it will deliver within 2 days for free if you are a member. In contrast, UPS charges a hefty amount for one day delivery, and there are many more services that help shoppers bring their prized purchases home.

POSTSCRIPT: Shoppers want the convenience of quick deliveries and most companies have found ways to deliver quickly to homes. Instacart has the manpower to enter this market and service most companies in a timely fashion. However, this may not be the best time for Instacart to enter the public market as consumers are cutting back on extra expenditures and are more likely to carry home their purchases at a time when inflationary pressures discourage shoppers.