Last-Mile Provider Point Pickup Buys GrocerKey

Last-mile provider Point Pickup Technologies has acquired white-label eCommerce platform GrocerKey, a move the company says will let retailers “take back control from Instacart.”

Point Pickup announced the move in a news release Thursday (Aug. 26), saying it had created the industry’s “first end-to-end, own-branded last-mile fulfillment and delivery service.”

Connecticut-based Point Pickup — whose customers include Walmart, Kroger and Albertsons — has already grown its platform to include things other than groceries, such as pharmacy, general merchandise and oversized deliveries.

“With almost 68 million US households placing online orders this past May, retailers no longer want to give away last mile business to other consumer-facing platforms,” Point Pickup Founder and CEO Tom Fiorita said in the announcement.

“We listened to our clients and now with the integration of GrocerKey’s technology into our last-mile delivery platform, they can reclaim their brand and revenue while maintaining control of their eCommerce data and customer experience from start to finish.”

Point Pickup says GrocerKey’s technology lets the company provide an end-to-end solution with plug-and-play modules that integrate into retailers’ eCommerce platforms.

“Its platform is driven by its proprietary Precision Matching Technology, which already matches the right delivery to the right driver and vehicle every time, leading to a more consistent and higher quality experience for customers,” the news release says. “The same technology will be used to locate the right workers to extend the services to both shopping and delivery.”

In addition, the new integration provides more customization options for eCommerce platforms, from online ordering to delivery sizes to monetization opportunities. It also provides for faster delivery — as Point Pickup’s delivery team is located within five miles of 95 percent of the U.S. population — and the chance to unlock more data insights.

Read more: Albertsons Debuts Instacart Service At 40 Southwest Stores

The news comes just two days after Albertson’s announced it will begin testing Instacart pilots in half a dozen major cities: Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

This new click-and-collect service is expected to happen in conjunction with Albertston’s Drive Up and Go curbside pickup program, which the chain expanded earlier this year.