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Fresh, frozen food join BJ’s Wholesale Club’s store pickup mix

In-club, contactless curbside service free at all locations

Russell Redman

October 29, 2020

2 Min Read
BJs_fresh_frozen_food_pickup.jpg
BJ's had begun offering perishables via pickup in selected clubs in late summer before rolling out the service chainwide.BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ’s Wholesale Club has expanded its buy-online-pickup-in-club (BOPIC) service to include fresh and frozen groceries.

The Westborough, Mass.-based warehouse club chain said Thursday that BJ’s members can now order their weekly groceries on BJs.com or through the BJ’s mobile app for curbside or in-store pickup at any of its 219 clubs in 17 Eastern states.

BJ’s rolled out contactless curbside pickup service to all of its clubs in August. At the time, the company said it also had begun offering perishables via pickup in selected club locations, with chainwide availability expected by the end of October.

“We’re committed to helping our members save time and money on essentials, which is why we’re offering more convenient ways to help them get exactly what they need,” Jeff Desroches, executive vice president and club operations officer at BJ’s, said in a statement. “With the expansion of our buy online, pickup in-club service, BJ’s members can do their weekly grocery shopping — and check off anything else on their list — in an easy, one-stop shop.”

With the move, members can order from a wide range of fresh and frozen products in addition to thousands of general merchandise, center-store groceries, and health and beauty aids already available on BJs.com and the BJ’s app for store pickup. Both in-club and curbside pickup service are free for members.

Related:BJ’s, Publix, Brookshire’s among most ‘digitally mature’ grocery retailers

Expanded pickup service builds on BJ’s recent efforts to improve its e-commerce offering, such as an upgraded website and mobile app, digital coupons and Instacart same-day grocery delivery.

“Our digital business is crucial to our existing and new members and is stronger than ever,” BJ’s President and CEO Lee Delaney said in a conference call on results for the fiscal 2020 second quarter ended Aug. 1. “We grew digitally enabled sales by more than 300% and made dramatic progress, rolling out new digital services.” He noted that at the time that the retailer will “move aggressively” to add infrastructure in its clubs to accommodate growing e-commerce business.

About 75% of the digital sales growth in the second quarter was fueled by BOPIC and same-day delivery purchases, according to Chief Financial Officer Robert Eddy.

 

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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