Reading Terminal Market today announced a partnership with Instacart (www.Instacart.com), the only service that can deliver groceries from multiple local stores within an hour. Beginning later this fall, Instacart will provide delivery of produce and grocery items from participating Reading Terminal Market merchants. Additional products and merchants will be added in a later phase of the program.
“We are excited to partner with Instacart and offer this remarkable service to Reading Terminal Market customers,” said Paul Steinke, General Manager of Reading Terminal Market. “For the first time our customers will be able to get home delivery of products from the Market within an hour. This service will be a time-saving tool for many shoppers who, due to their busy schedule, geographic location, lack of transportation or other circumstances, may not be able to get to Reading Terminal Market as often as they wish. Instacart provides a viable option that can be accessed via a simple Web application.”
Reading Terminal Market customers interested in using Instacart must be located in the company’s designated Philadelphia Zone which reaches far into the Main Line, parts of Upper Darby, Northwest Philadelphia and Montgomery County. In Philadelphia proper, Instacart already provides delivery from Whole Foods Market, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Fine Wine & Good Spirits, ACME Markets, Super Fresh and Green Aisle Grocery.
According to Instacart Philadelphia City Manager George Shotz, the company chose to add this Philadelphia landmark due to its high demand from customers. “Our Philadelphia-area service is still growing rapidly week over week,” said Shotz. “Customers have been asking for this Philadelphia iconic location and we are excited to be able to bring Reading Terminal Market merchant products to their doorstep.”
Originally launched in San Francisco and since expanded into many other major cities, Instacart has disrupted the traditional grocery delivery space with its crowd sourced labor force dubbed “Personal Shoppers” who shop for and deliver grocery orders providing their own transportation in as little as one hour. This eliminates the need for costly infrastructure such as inventory, warehouses, trucks and full-time drivers.
Any customer can open an account at www.Instacart.com, and get free delivery on their first order of $10 or more. For frequent customers, Instacart offers an Amazon-Prime like service called Instacart Express – an annual membership that eliminates delivery fees for all orders of $35 or more. The cost is just $99. Customers can sign up for a free two-week trial at www.instacart.com/express.
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