With shoppers increasingly time-poor, juggling work, family and social commitments, delivery has become part of everyday life – and with apps like Deliveroo and Just Eat, and online supermarket orders, it’s become easy and fast. For convenience retailers, the shift raises an important question: should your store be part of the delivery ecosystem?
Should Your Store Offer Delivery?
Offering delivery can open up new customer missions and revenue streams, but it also introduces costs, operational pressures and higher expectations. Like most retail decisions, the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all.
One of the clearest advantages of offering delivery is reach. Customers who might not physically visit the store, whether due to being time poor, convenience or mobility, can still shop locally.
Delivery orders often reflect more planned purchasing, such as meal solutions, evening snacks or last-minute essentials. Industry insight suggests that online baskets can sometimes be larger than in-store top-up shops, particularly for food and drink categories[1].
There’s also a competitiveness factor. As larger supermarkets and rapid delivery platforms expand, some independent retailers feel offering delivery helps maintain relevance and protect local loyalty.
For certain stores, especially those in urban or high-density areas, delivery can become a meaningful revenue stream rather than a sideline.
Delivery Challenges
While delivery can be incremental for sales, it also has its challenges, from requiring extra staff to customer service issues.
- Delivery services require extra labour, for packing orders and – if it isn’t a third-party order platform – managing the deliveries. During busy periods, managing delivery orders alongside in-store customers can prove a stretch for some stores.
- Third-party platforms typically charge commission, which can significantly impact margin on convenience-priced goods. Retailers need to consider whether delivery orders are genuinely incremental or simply diverting existing customers away from higher-margin in-store purchases.
- Stock accuracy becomes critical. If EPOS systems are not fully aligned with live inventory, out-of-stocks and substitutions can frustrate customers quickly.
- Customer expectations are higher. Consumers accustomed to rapid delivery services often expect speed, reliability and accuracy. A delayed order or missing product can impact reviews and repeat business.
Technology and Partnerships
Technology integration can make a significant difference when offering a delivery service. Retailers using systems that sync delivery platforms with stock control tend to experience fewer errors.
Some wholesalers and symbol groups now offer structured delivery partnerships tailored to convenience retail, which may provide better margin protection and operational support compared with independent setup[2]. The key is ensuring the model fits the store and that retailers are not simply adopting delivery because competitors are doing it.
Is Delivery Right For Your Store?
Delivery tends to work best where:
- There is strong local population density
- Staffing can absorb order picking and sorting
- Margin structures are reviewed carefully
- Retailers actively promote the service
Delivery is likely to remain part of the convenience landscape, but it won’t suit every retailer in the same way. For some, it’s a growth channel. For others, it’s a customer service add-on.
Understanding your local demand, cost base and operational capacity is what ultimately determines whether delivery becomes a competitive advantage or simply an added complexity.
