OpenTable is Helping to Provide Consumers a Safe Way to Shop
Michael Hemsworth — April 16, 2020 — Business
References: opentable & progressivegrocer
The COVID-19 pandemic has consumers trying to navigate the retail environment in a healthy manner to respect physical distancing protocols which can be quite tricky, so OpenTable has begun offering grocery shopping reservations. The website has announced that it is partnering with retailers selling groceries to help provide consumers with a way to reserve a time to shop just like they would reserve a table at a restaurant. Consumers can take advantage of the grocery shopping reservations by picking a time before they arrive or putting in a request to shop when they arrive to wait in their car or down the street until it's their turn in the store.
OpenTable spoke about the new initiative in a statement that explained, "As we all work to stop the spread of COVID-19, OpenTable has teamed up with participating grocery stores and markets to help limit the number of people who enter at a time and reduce crowds and wait times for shoppers. Just as people can make a restaurant reservation or join a waitlist, they will now be able to reserve shopping times or join a virtual line in the OpenTable app."
OpenTable spoke about the new initiative in a statement that explained, "As we all work to stop the spread of COVID-19, OpenTable has teamed up with participating grocery stores and markets to help limit the number of people who enter at a time and reduce crowds and wait times for shoppers. Just as people can make a restaurant reservation or join a waitlist, they will now be able to reserve shopping times or join a virtual line in the OpenTable app."
Trend Themes
1. Grocery Shopping Reservations - Using reservation services for grocery shopping provides a safe and efficient way for consumers to maintain physical distancing.
2. Partnerships with Retailers - Collaborations between reservation platforms like OpenTable and grocery retailers open up opportunities for new business models and innovative solutions to meet consumer needs.
3. Digital Queue Management - The use of virtual lines and waitlists in reservation apps presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in managing customer flow within physical stores.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - The retail industry can leverage grocery shopping reservation services to streamline operations, reduce congestion, and enhance customer safety.
2. Hospitality - Reservation platforms like OpenTable expanding into grocery shopping offers new revenue streams and strengthens partnerships with retailers, driving innovation within the hospitality industry.
3. Technology - Innovative digital queue management solutions have the potential to revolutionize customer flow and enhance user experience, creating opportunities for technology companies to provide disruptive solutions.
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