Smart & Final launches Instacart-powered app

Building on its partnership with Instacart, warehouse grocery chain Smart & Final Stores Inc. has launched the Shop Smart & Final App.

Smart & Final said late Wednesday that the Instacart-powered app enables users to set up deliveries for groceries — including household- and club-sized items — in two hours or less and get real-time updates on order fulfillment.

Customers receive push notifications as stages of their order are completed. After the transaction is processed, they can track their order’s location on its way to their doorstep. Delivery costs $5.99 for two-hour service and $7.99 for one hour with a $35 minimum order.

The Shop Smart & Final App enables users to set up deliveries for groceries in two hours or less.

Also through the Shop Smart & Final App, customers can communicate directly with personal shoppers via a live chat feature. The tool allows customers to make changes to their order up until payment.

Other features of the app, available for download at the Apple App Store, include the ability to create and save custom shopping lists for faster reorders as well as set up group carts. Smart & Final said the latter function enables household shoppers, business owners and nonprofit organizers to add products to a shared cart, which streamlines inventory for block parties, restaurant events or little league tournaments.

“We’re always looking to improve the customer experience for both household and business customers,” Smart & Final chief marketing officer Eleanor Hong said in a statement. “It’s important that we adapt to and adopt shopping models that can help Smart & Final customers save time and money on meals both in-store and on the go, without sacrificing taste and quality. The Smart & Final App is the next step to doing just that.” 

Commerce, Calif.-based Smart & Final first teamed up with Instacart in March 2015 to pilot same-day grocery delivery. The retailer said the strong response from customers led the companies to expand their partnership last August with the launch of on-demand grocery delivery chainwide via the shop.smartandfinal.com website.

Smart & Final operates 323 grocery and foodservice stores under the Smart & Final, Smart & Final Extra! and Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice banners in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Utah. The retailer also is part of a joint venture that operates 15 stores in northwestern Mexico.