Retailers rethought curbside pickup in 2023, but it still plays a significant role in attracting customers — especially among grocers. A new report shows which stores are delivering the best curbside experiences, along with other pieces of the online ordering process for consumers.

Who has the best curbside pickup experience?

The study from the market research firm Ipsos looked at customer satisfaction among shoppers at 17 major grocers in the U.S., including Albertsons, Aldi, Walmart and Whole Foods Market.

Albertsons ranked No. 1 for its curbside pickup service with a 97% rate of “very satisfied” responses, according to Ipsos. Amazon Fresh, meanwhile, received high marks as well, with the most respondents (76%) saying it was the brand they were most likely to use again.

Rise of curbside pickup in recent years

“From online ordering to meal delivery services, what started during COVID-19 as a necessity has morphed into a method of shopping that people didn’t realize they needed in their everyday lives,” said Silvana Daehn, vice president at Ipsos’ Channel Performance.

“Big-box retailers who sell groceries are making significant ecommerce and infrastructure investments to streamline the ordering and fulfillment processes, from signage and parking to staffing,” Daehn said. “Their goal is to make the buying of groceries and other household items a single, seamless transaction. Pure-play grocers need to invest to keep up.”

Other areas where grocers were evaluated

For customers choosing delivery, Amazon’s Whole Foods Market earned the No. 1 ranking with an 83% “very satisfied” response rate. Albertsons also showed up in that category with the highest rate of delivery customers (61%) saying they were “extremely likely” to use it again.

Overall, Target, Walmart and Albertsons received the best results, with each improving over 2022.

Albertsons is No. 26 in the Top 1000, Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of North America’s leading retailers by online sales. Amazon ranks No. 1, while Walmart is No. 2, and Target is No. 5. In addition, Albertsons ranks No. 2 in the Food & Beverage category of the Top 1000.

Two of the most determinant facts for customers in their responses were reliability and accuracy, according to Ipsos. The report drew from a survey in fall 2023 that included 1,200 Americans.

Do you rank in our databases?

Submit your data and we’ll see where you fit in our next ranking update.

Sign up

Stay on top of the latest developments in the ecommerce industry. Sign up for a complimentary subscription to Digital Commerce 360 Retail News. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Be the first to know when Digital Commerce 360 publishes news content.