Despite their multiple locations and a loyal customer base who would love to shop online and get their favorite items even faster, Trader Joe’s currently does not offer curbside pickup, nor does it have online ordering or delivery options.
Post pandemic, other major retailers are moving away from the traditional grocery shopping experience, with the introduction and increasing use of features such as self-checkout, curbside pickup, mobile grocery ordering, and delivery.
Trader Joe’s, however, is doing the opposite and focusing more on its employees and in-person customer experience. Instead of cutting staff and automating the shopping experience, they are hiring more people. This is of course, in line with their brand and image of being a neighborhood grocery store.
Adding services like curbside pickup would mean less reliance on employees and that is not what Trader Joe’s is about. Trader Joe’s items cannot be delivered through apps like Instacart or Doordash either, and it is unlikely that they will be in the future. According to the company, setting up online shopping and curbside pickup would require a huge amount of resources which they would rather spend on their employees.
Why Customers Still Remain Loyal to Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has a nearly cult-like following, with customers promoting the products on social media without any sponsorship from the company. The inconvenience of having to go grocery shopping in person is not an inconvenience at all for a loyal Trader Joe’s customer. It is quite the opposite.
Customers flock to their local stores and get lost in the aisles laden with colorful and uniquely packaged products. Every product label is designed differently, with themed fonts and fun adjectives describing what the product is, or what it tastes like. Often, the products also have names that imply that the product is from a different country or region. For example, a jar of pesto sauce is ‘pesto alla Genovese’, and sour gummy candy is labeled Scandinavian swimmers.’ These names are part of the Trader Joe’s brand story, which describes how all the items are curated from around the globe, for their customers.
This makes customers feel valued and like they are a part of an adventure, discovering new flavors and experiences. The in-person shopping experience is all about that feeling of wondering what you will find and go home with today, and that’s what Trader Joe’s customers love. Curbside pickup just sounds boring compared to the alternative.
Trader Joe’s stores are known to be relatively smaller compared to the giant warehouse-style buildings of other grocery stores such as Walmart. The stores are designed in such a way that
Everything is easy to find There’s no chance of getting lost in the aislesCustomers don’t feel overwhelmed with multiple choices. The store layout is easy to navigate yet fun to explore The price tags are labeled using farmer’s market style chalkboard writing, which is very appealing to look at and read.
The employees are friendly, helpful, and cheery. They offer to find you a product if you are having trouble locating it and will tell you items that are currently popular. They will ask you about your day, make small talk, and smile.
Can You Order Your Favorite Trader Joe’s Items Online?
On their website, Trader Joe’s has products listed with their prices and you can add them to a shopping list but you won’t be able to buy them online. The list is printable and it will help you while shopping in the store.
Trader Joe’s and Dumpling Shoppers.
Dumpling is an app that connects customers with shoppers who have profiles on the app that list all the stores they shop at, including Trader Joe’s. So next time you’re craving that mandarin orange chicken and don’t want to drive to a store, consider shopping through dumplings’ professional and dependable shoppers.
Trader Joe’s recipes; are they good?
An alternative to leaving your house and buying the items you want is recipes of Trader Joe’s classics that you can find online. There are so many recipes people have recreated and posted on the internet and social media, it’s very easy to access and recreate the dishes you love, such as
Cauliflower gnocchi Fish tacos Orange chicken Wonton soup Pancake bread
The list goes on, there are so many delicious and healthy recipes you can make at home, so don’t worry if you can’t go shopping or have your favorite items delivered to you.
Even if you are unable to get your beloved Trader Joe’s goodies through curbside pickup or delivery, there are other options, so don’t despair!
