Fast Five Shorts | Instacart Debuts New “Will Call” Delivery Service

Summary

Omni Talk Retail Podcast Summary

Episode: Fast Five Shorts | Instacart Debuts New “Will Call” Delivery Service
Release Date: April 11, 2025
Hosts: Chris Walton and Dan
Guests: N/A

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Introduction

In the latest episode of Omni Talk Retail, hosts Chris Walton and Dan delve into Instacart's newest offering, the “Will Call Delivery” service. This segment, titled “Fast Five Shorts,” provides a concise yet insightful discussion on how Instacart is expanding its role within the retail and grocery distribution ecosystem.

Instacart’s “Will Call Delivery” Service Unveiled

Dan kicks off the conversation by introducing Instacart's innovative service:

Dan [00:00]: "Instacart has introduced Will Call Delivery, a new offering tailored to ensure distributors can meet the needs of urgent same day fill in orders."

He elaborates on the functionality of the service, highlighting its white-label application designed to streamline same-day ordering through sales representatives. Customers retain their usual methods of placing orders—via phone, text, or direct call to sales reps. These reps can then swiftly request an Instacart shopper to fulfill and deliver the order efficiently.

Dan also points out a strategic feature of the service:

Dan [00:00]: "Distributors have the ability to place orders from retailers on the Instacart Marketplace to ensure that customers are always getting the product they need quickly."

Host Perspectives and Industry Insights

Chris responds initially with a playful remark, referencing a previous skepticism about Instacart's overarching ambitions:

Chris [00:56]: "Oh, we had duty and Poo Poo in the same podcast, Dan."

However, he quickly shifts to a more serious evaluation of the new service:

Chris [01:03]: "I'm not gonna poo poo this at all. I actually like this move and I think I like it because it scales what Instacart already does."

Drawing from personal experience, Chris shares a poignant anecdote about his grandfather's role as a regional food distributor:

Chris [01:34]: "My grandfather used to be a regional food distributor... he would run out of things and he would honestly, he would high tail it to Sam's club, buy the items in bulk because he wanted to make sure he kept his customers happy."

He parallels this with Instacart's strategy, suggesting that the “Will Call Delivery” service addresses real, on-the-ground challenges faced by distributors in maintaining customer satisfaction.

Practical Implications and Retail Dynamics

Dan reflects on his own experience running a corn stand, where supply shortages necessitated quick restocking to retain customers:

Dan [02:20]: "If we didn't have those raspberries, people would get pissed and they wouldn't come back. That's what I'm thinking about here... it costs you more money, but it saves you customers."

He emphasizes the importance of such solutions in today's retail environment, where rising costs and consumer loyalty are critical concerns:

Dan [02:20]: "It keeps people in your ecosystem... loyalty being a main concern for a retailer or grocer to maintain consumers."

Chris adds to this by speculating that many distributors might already be leveraging Instacart’s platform informally:

Chris [04:00]: "My hunch is that people are already using Instacart for this too. Just behind the scenes, you know, it's not official."

Engaging Banter and Relatable Narratives

The conversation takes a lighter turn as Dan and Chris share humorous exchanges about customer expectations and product quality:

Chris [04:15]: "Would they give you an earful?"

Dan [04:17]: "Like, they would give you an earful... inspect each individual raspberry."

These banters not only add a personable touch to the discussion but also underscore the meticulous nature of customer demands in the retail space.

Conclusion and Forward-Looking Statements

Wrapping up the discussion, both hosts concur that Instacart's “Will Call Delivery” is a strategic addition that reinforces its position in the retail distribution network. It serves as a vital tool for distributors to maintain operational flexibility and customer satisfaction, especially during unforeseen supply chain hiccups.

Chris [02:20]: "I think it's a smart."

Dan [04:40]: "They’re very picky."

Overall, the episode highlights Instacart's evolving role from a grocery delivery platform to a comprehensive operational partner for distributors and retailers, aiming to enhance efficiency and customer loyalty in a competitive marketplace.

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This episode of Omni Talk Retail offers valuable insights into how technological advancements and strategic services like Instacart’s “Will Call Delivery” are reshaping the retail landscape, ensuring that both distributors and consumers navigate the complexities of modern grocery distribution with greater ease and satisfaction.

Transcript

[Dan]

Instacart has introduced Will Call Delivery, a new offering tailored to ensure distributors can meet the needs of urgent same day fill in orders. According to an Instacart press release, Will Call Delivery is a white label application built for distributors to streamline same day ordering via their sales reps. Customers who need items fast can pick up their phones, text, or call their sales reps like they always do. And sales reps can request an Instacart shopper, pick up items from the warehouse and deliver it to their end customers all in just a couple of clicks. Additionally, in order to better address out of stocks or service customers that are far from the warehouse, distributors have the ability to place orders from retailers on the Instacart Marketplace to ensure that customers are always getting the product they need quickly. Chris, you spent the better part of two years questioning Instacart's play to become the operating system for grocers. So are you going to poo Poo Will Call Delivery now as well.

[Chris]

Oh, we had duty and Poo Poo in the same podcast, Dan.

[Dan]

Oh my God. I'm doing a podcast with a two year old. This is ridiculous.

[Chris]

You are. Yeah, right. Hey, I'll take that. I'm just. I'm gonna actually believe it. I'm gonna not. I'm gonna surprise you. I think I'm gonna say, not at all. I'm not gonna poo poo this at all. I actually like this move and I think I like it because it scales what Instacart already does. Well, and Instacart has a right to win in this space. And I can also tell you from firsthand experience, my grandfather used to be a regional food distributor. And by regional, I mean very regional. And I would make sales calls with him to podunk bars outside of the Quad Cities in Iowa, in town.

[Dan]

Oh my God, you're kidding me.

[Chris]

No, 100%. 100%. And we would deliver chips and soda and the whatnot to those bars.

[Dan]

Like all the stuff clipped on the back of the bars, like those chips where you're like, I want. Yeah, that's.

[Chris]

Yeah, yeah. He had a little delivery van, like he was like a one person operation in his 70s and a little delivery van. And. And you know what he would do? And he'd run out of things and he would honestly, he would high tail it to Sam's club, buy the items in bulk because he wanted to make sure he kept his customers happy. So Instacart is essentially playing on that. And so that's real. That happens. So I Think there's a need state there. And so, yeah, I like it for that reason because it, it takes what they're already doing and just something they can win at. I think it's a smart.

[Dan]

That's so crazy because I was thinking of this because when I used to work at the corn stand during the summer, like, all right, here we go. This same thing would happen to us where, like, we'd run out of raspberries, and so we'd have to drive across the highway to go to the nearest grocery store, buy like 25 packages of raspberries, and then we'd put them in like the stand, like the little bushel box, like farm stand boxes and sell them. Because the problem ultimately was if we didn't have those raspberries, you know, like, people would get pissed and they wouldn't come back. They wouldn't come to our corn stand. And so, I mean, that's what I'm thinking about here. Like, I don't think this is a permanent solution. And by no means that our air quote grandpa Bill want us to be taking money from the till and going to buy raspberries that come. But that's what we had to do. Like, it costs you more money, but it, it saves you customers. And I think that's the key thing here about what this is offering. You know, grocers, distributors, retailers. Like, it keeps people in your, in your ecosystem. And I think that's so important now, especially with the cost of goods going up, with loyalty being a main concern for a retailer or grocer to kind of maintain consumers. I think this is something that. It's not a permanent use this all the time solution, but it's definitely in a pinch. This is something that I think will help further establish a relationship with Instacart and the grocers and then also ultimately with the grocers and their end consumers. And. And it keeps the Instacart drivers more fully utilized. Like, there's also that part too.

[Chris]

Yeah, right, that part too. And my hunch is that people are already using Instacart for this too. Just behind the scenes, you know, it's not an official.

[Dan]

Probably.

[Chris]

Yeah, but. And I have a question for you. When you would run out of raspberries at the corn stand, would your customers give you an earful? Would they give you an earful?

[Dan]

Like, is this a corn joke?

[Chris]

Yeah, of course it is.

[Dan]

They would give you an earful. And I would have to stop reading my romance novel and have to deal with the same people who would like, inspect each ear of corn, Chris, and they would inspect each individual raspberry. But, oh, yeah, it was all about the packaging.

[Chris]

Stand shoppers, they're very particular. And those corn stand shoppers, they're very picky.

[Dan]

They're very picky.

[Chris]

Very picky. Well said. Nice pun. I like that.