Mercatus Online Ordering
The Opportunity
Research included observing how special orders were taken, prepared, and fulfilled within grocery stores, together with studying how customer service representatives recorded orders and how store employees picked and assembled them. One of the most important discoveries was that customers and employees experienced the same order in very different ways. Customers naturally organized their shopping according to how they moved through a store and thought about their purchases, while employees needed orders organized to support efficient picking, often fulfilling multiple customer orders simultaneously.
The design challenge was to balance these competing perspectives without compromising either experience. Particular attention was given to product substitutions, where employees needed practical guidance while respecting the customer’s expectations around value, quality, and brand preference. Operational realities such as staffing levels, pickup scheduling, and store capacity also shaped the experience, requiring the design to balance customer convenience with the practical constraints of running a grocery operation.
Discovery & Design
Research included observing how special orders were taken, prepared, and fulfilled within grocery stores, together with studying how customer service representatives recorded orders and how store employees picked and assembled them. One of the most important discoveries was that customers and employees experienced the same order in very different ways. Customers naturally organized their shopping according to how they moved through a store and thought about their purchases, while employees needed orders organized to support efficient picking, often fulfilling multiple customer orders simultaneously.
The design challenge was to balance these competing perspectives without compromising either experience. Particular attention was given to product substitutions, where employees needed practical guidance while respecting the customer’s expectations around value, quality, and brand preference. Operational realities such as staffing levels, pickup scheduling, and store capacity also shaped the experience, requiring the design to balance customer convenience with the practical constraints of running a grocery operation.
The Outcome
The resulting platform enabled grocery retailers to offer online ordering and in-store pickup while laying the foundation for capabilities that are now commonplace throughout the grocery industry. Customers gained a more convenient way to shop, while retailers expanded their digital services without replacing their existing systems. Looking back, I’m most proud of helping balance the needs of customers, store employees, and retailers, creating an experience that worked for everyone involved rather than optimizing for only one perspective.