PC Express

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PC Express
PredecessorLoblaws Click & Collect
FoundedOctober 24, 2014; 9 years ago (2014-10-24)
Number of locations
300 (2018)
OwnerLoblaw Companies
Websitepcexpress.ca
iOS app

PC Express is a grocery click and collect & delivery service owned by Canadian retail conglomerate Loblaw Companies. The service began in October 2014 and the company now has over 700 pickup locations and delivers to ~70% of Canadian households.[1][2] These locations include curbside pickup, self-serve kiosks, refrigerated vans, and Shoppers Drug Mart locations in urban areas.[3] The Loblaw Companies banners participating in PC Express are Atlantic Superstore, Dominion, Fortinos, Loblaws, Maxi, No Frills, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore, Valu-mart, Your Independent Grocer and Zehrs Markets. A service fee of $3 to $5 is added to each order, unless a customer has a PC Express Pass subscription.[4] Delivery is provided by Instacart contractors. A rapid delivery option with marked up item costs is also available, which uses DoorDash Dashers to pick and deliver each order.

History[edit]

Click and Collect at Loblaws stores began in fall 2014 with a product selection of around 20 thousand items, and had expanded to 60 active locations by June 2016.[5] The first location had a drive-through; however, subsequent locations have used dedicated parking spots instead.[6] By November 2015, the program had expanded to include Real Canadian Superstore locations in British Columbia.[7] In December 2017, Loblaw Companies began offering click and collect in Atlantic Canada, starting with Halifax.[8] By the start of 2018, about 300 stores were on the PC Express network, with plans to significantly expand the program to over 700 locations by year end.[9] In February 2018, Loblaw Companies signed a partnership with Metrolinx to begin offering grocery pick-up at some GO Transit stations in the greater Toronto area.[10] In November 2018, Loblaws began testing a self-checkout like feature in the PC Express mobile app at five of its Ontario stores, allowing customers to scan items as they shop and pay at the checkout.[11]

In 2020, Loblaw initiated a pilot program with Gatik, an American autonomous vehicle company to trial driverless trucks for online order deliveries. In 2022, some driverless trucks were launched for select orders, with a safety driver in the passenger seat.[12]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Loblaw launches click and collect service". Canadian Grocer. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  2. ^ Shaw, Hollie (2 May 2018). "'Blanket the country': Loblaw plans nationwide home delivery rollout to counter Amazon". Financial Post. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  3. ^ Sagan, Aleksandra (26 February 2018). "Groceries on the GO: Loblaw customers can pick orders at select stations". CityNews. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  4. ^ Kopun, Francine (24 October 2014). "Loblaw launches click-and-collect service". Toronto Star. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Online grocery shopping 'click-and-collect' program expands in Canada". CTV News. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Loblaws' 'Click And Collect' Brings Drive-Through Groceries To Canada". HuffPost Canada. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  7. ^ Penner, Derrick (12 November 2015). "Real Canadian Superstore ups online shopping ante". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  8. ^ Taylor, Roger (4 December 2017). "Loblaw launches online grocery shopping service Click & Collect". The Chronicle Herald. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Loblaw signs deal with Metrolinx to let customers pick up online grocery orders at GTA GO stations". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  10. ^ Sagan, Aleksandra (26 February 2018). "Loblaw signs deal to allow customers to pick up orders at GO Transit stations". Global News. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  11. ^ Gladysz, Kayla (22 November 2018). "Loblaws launching scan-while-you-shop phone app in Toronto today". Daily Hive Toronto. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Loblaws partners with self-driving company Gatik in Canadian first: driverless grocery trucks". CBC News. www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 14 June 2023.