All About Dillons ClickList Grocery Service

This afternoon Paul and I had the opportunity to meet with the Dillons corporate team to discuss their new ClickList feature.  I think I’m in love.

Dillons ClickList Explained

We were able to watch the entire process unfold, from the shopper selecting produce, to the storage areas in the back of the store, we got to check out the walk-in freezers and refrigerators used to keep cold items cold while awaiting your arrival.  We even got to interview one ClickList user as she picked up her order. She had nothing but positive comments.

The entire process is fool proof and virtually error free.

As I am writing this post I’m trying to think of my favorite feature of this new service provided by Dillons.  I can’t name just one, so we’ll talk about all of my favorite features.  There are plenty.

How do they know what I need? Suggestions are made based on your loyalty card number.  The same formula is implemented for ClickList online ordering when you log into your account, and you know what? I love it.

So they’re watching what we buy? Yes, but this is nothing new. They have been tailoring our “Best Customer” digital coupons and home mailer coupons based on our purchase history – tied to your Plus Card – for years.   I for one, enjoy it.

Just think, when you log on to the Dillons ClickList feature on their website to build your order, about 75 – 80% of the items that make up your home page are items you regularly purchase.  To me that’s a huge time saver.  Does it make me purchase more?  Not personally, no.  I know what I need and what I do not.

When can I pickup? Order today, pickup this week.  While they are not to the same day pickup schedule yet this will be an option in the near future.  For now, we go to the ClickList page on the Dillons website and build our orders, tell them when you will be in to pick up your order and that’s it!

Forget something for your pickup, or need to add to it?  As long as you add to your order by 11:59 pm the day before pickup, you can add to your order.  Perfect for those days when the kids blow through the milk.

What about produce?  Produce is hand selected by a trained individual.  They look for size, color, ripeness – and you can add a description for each item.   Are you having guacamole at your party on Saturday?  Let them know that you’re needing ripe avocados instead of rock hard avocados – and they’ll select them just for you.

What about meat? The ClickList orders for meat are fulfilled by the meat department.  Would you like more marbling on that ribeye steak?  Let them know in the comment section for the ribeyes and the meat department will pick you the perfect steak.

What if they are out of an item? If they are out of the specific item on your order, they will offer you a substitute – that you have the ability to decline if you wish.

One important note: If they are sold out of the 24 oz Kroger brand ketchup, they will UPGRADE you to either a larger size at no charge OR they will offer you name brand (same size) at no additional charge.  You do have the option to specify when you order that you will not accept substitutions on a particular item.

Is there a minimum order? Nope.  You can order as little or as much as you like.

Is there a fee? Yes, there is a fee of $4.95 per order.  For your first three orders though, this fee is waved. Try it three different times at no additional charge.

Think about this – how many impulse purchases do you make when you do your weekly shopping trip?  Do your kids throw extra things in the cart?  Does that typically add up to $4.95 or more?  My guess is yes.  If you do impulse buy, chances are those total at least $5.  By selecting the items you need while you are still at home (and can double check your pantry) you are avoiding those random (and potentially costly) impulse purchases.

Do they deliver?  No, not at this time, but they did not rule out the possibility in the future.

Do they accept coupons? YES! You can add applicable digital coupons to your Plus Card as you order your items, and you CAN use paper coupons when you go to pick up your order. Simply let them know that you have coupons and they will scan them before running your payment.  This could totally make up the $4.95 fee for the service.

What forms of payment do they accept?  At this time only debit and credit cards are accepted.  Personal checks, cash, WIC and EBT may be a possibility in the future, but at this time they are not.

They also did not rule out the possibility of online payment in the future but as of now that is not an option.  You’ll hand over your card when you pickup and they’ll swipe it right there for you.

Will it work with Sales and Mega Sales? Yep! The registers in the ClickList department work just like the ones at the front of the store.  The prices are the same – NO UPCHARGE – and if you purchase the quantity stated to save a pre-determined amount, that amount will come off as well.

Important! When selecting your items, the price listed may or may not be the price when you pick up.  Keep in mind that sales change on Wednesdays.  If you order on Monday assuming to pay those prices, but your pickup is on Wednesday, the prices may not be the same.  You’ll pay the price listed on the day of pickup, not when you order.

What stores will offer ClickList? Currently just 21st and Maize in Wichita is participating, but they are adding more and more stores district-wide, starting this fall. Do we know which stores specifically? Not yet, but they did say that they are focusing on the larger stores.

Paul and I were impressed by the efficiency of the entire process.  The ClickList shoppers use a scanner to scan each and every item as they place it in your cart. Then, they scan your cart again to ensure that they added it to the correct order.

There is virtually no room for error – and when combined with the ease of use, the convenience, the ability to specify how ripe you want your produce, picking up instead of taking all of your kids to the store, less impulse buys, well… I’m pumped.