On­demand Grocery Delivery Startup Launches In Pasadena

PASADENA, Calif. - Dec. 2, 2014 - PRLog -- Pasadena, CA.­ The idea of buying groceries online has been around as long as the Internet, but who would ever do it? Limited selection, high cost and inconvenient delivery timing has kept it a niche business in mostly urban areas. But now online groceries are starting to make sense for the rest of us. Same­day grocery delivery services are expanding into more cities around the country, delivering everything from cereal to bottled water to toilet paper from nearby stores. Deliveer is a startup from Pasadena that aims to tap into the grocery market with an interesting approach. They are offering one hour delivery and it works like this: You pick your store, select what you want online or on the app, choose a delivery time and they will deliver the items to your door in an hour!

They're fast, easy to use and way more convenient than waiting in the checkout line. Deliveer is now only offering service from some big national chains, such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. They are available in Pasadena, South Pasadena, Altadena, San Marino, Arcadia and Monrovia with the plan to expand to other LA’s neighborhoods by the next 12 months.

The service is different from more established grocery delivery companies such as FreshDirect, Peapod and AmazonFresh, because they don't actually sell groceries directly to you. Deliveer believes that they have an advantage because it does not have to invest in stores, warehouses or delivery trucks. Instead, the start­up uses software to link customers to existing grocery stores and a community of people who have signed up to be personal shoppers. Customers enter orders online and Deliveer alerts these "personal shoppers" who drive to the grocery store, purchase the items and then drive them back to customers' homes. The customers pay a delivery fee to Deliveer, and the start­up shares its revenue with the shoppers. Deliveer's fees depend on the distance of the delivery, the order size and the delivery time and you may want to tip the shoppers. Deliveer emphasizes transparent, friendly, and fast, customer service. There are no hidden fees or grocery mark­ups.

Deliveer saves millions in costs by not having its own facilities or inventory. What’s more, it relies on an Uber­style “sharing economy” model for its labor force. Workers log into the Instacart system when they’re available to shop and take orders. Instead of warehouses, trucks, drivers, and servers, all Deliveer needs to operate are people with smartphones and cars.

Deliveer CEO Hossein Safyallah says to reduce our customers concerns and provide a service that can save them a trip to store, the company's staff is trained to pick out the freshest fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods. We are as picky as you are when it comes to the foods, Hossein said. Unlike Taskrabbit, or Postmates, Deliveer delivers only groceries. The shoppers trained to select appealing produce, check for identification on customers who order alcohol and come up with substitutes when items are out of stock.

Hossein says Deliveer’s leanness gives it the flexibility to offer the widest selection, thanks to the variety of stores on its platform, and the fastest delivery times, since its workforce is out in the

world instead of waiting at some central hub. He also believes that online grocery delivery will push into the mainstream this time around because customers and workers are carrying mobile devices. Something is clear: Online grocery shopping is back. The question is whether it will work this time.