Online grocery sales fell 3.1% in September (to $7.5 billion) as compared to September of 2022, according to the latest monthly Brick Meets Click / Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey. Declines in order frequency and spending per order contributed to the drop, although an expanded base of monthly customers signaled continued interest in online grocery sales.
The average number of orders per monthly active user (MAU) fell 8% compared to a year ago, which is the lowest order rate since the Covid pandemic.
According to the survey, the downward movement in order frequency impacted most retail formats. Mass retailers saw a 4% decline in order frequency among its MAU base, and Amazon’s pure-play segments dropped 7%. Supermarkets fell almost 13% in September compared to September 2022.
“Motivating customers to shop with you again online may be challenging – especially when many households are trying to stretch a buck – but attracting new ones is even harder,” said Mercatus President and CEO Sylvain Perrier. “To compete more effectively, in addition to promoting more types of money-saving offers such as loyalty rewards, bundled deals, or other promotions, grocers can emphasize the quality, service, and convenience they offer that big-box retailers don’t.”