Skip and Instacart partner to expand delivery services across Canada
Canada's convenience store and retail landscape is seeing a major shift in how consumers access everyday products. Skip, the homegrown delivery network formerly known as SkipTheDishes, and grocery technology company Instacart have teamed up to integrate their services, giving Canadians easier access to groceries, retail products and restaurant meals through both apps.
Under the new arrangement, Skip users can access Instacart's grocery and retail marketplace directly within the Skip app. In return, Instacart customers get access to Skip's network of more than 50,000 national and local retail and restaurant partners without leaving the Instacart platform.
What the integration offers c-stores
This cross-platform partnership aims to create an all-in-one ordering experience by connecting two major apps. Canadians can now access millions of items spanning grocery, household essentials, beauty products and restaurant food.
To start shopping, a Skip customer simply opens the Skip app and taps the grocery icon to browse Instacart’s network of more than 130 retail banners and over 9,000 Canadian locations. Once a store is selected, the user is redirected to Instacart’s platform to view the live catalogue and place an order. Every order is picked in-store by an Instacart shopper who handles fragile items with care, checks expiration dates, selects fresh produce and offers product substitutions.
Companies like Shoppers Drug Mart and Dollarama are both using Skip to expand their reach, and help their shoppers access products when customers can't reach the store in time. Deliver apps offer an easy third party option to expand a store's reach. Vince Sgabellone, food service industry analyst at research firm Circana says that calling Skip or Instacart a food delivery app is a misnomer; While most delivery apps started in the restaurant industry, their ambitions have grown beyond takeout, he said.
For Instacart users looking for food delivery, the process is the same. Customers open the Instacart app and tap the restaurant icon to browse Skip’s network of QSR partners covering breakfast, dinner and everything in between. After making their selection, shoppers follow the in-app prompts to finish ordering, and a Skip courier brings the food right to their door.
READ: Delivery apps deliver growth for convenience retailers
Membership benefits and launch promotions
The collaboration also includes added perks for subscribers of both loyalty programs. Skip+ members receive $0 delivery fees on Instacart-powered retail and grocery orders. Meanwhile, Instacart+ members receive $0 delivery fees alongside reduced service fees on restaurant orders delivered via Skip.
Leadership from both companies view the move as an important step in expanding their delivery reach across Canada.
“This partnership represents a pivotal moment in Skip’s evolution,” says Paul Burns, chief executive officer of Skip. “We have grown far beyond our roots in restaurant delivery to become an essential, all-in- one destination for Canadians. Through our Instacart partnership, Skip now offers an unprecedented breadth of grocery, everyday essentials and products. We’re allowing Canadians to Skip to the good part through a seamlessly integrated shopping experience, combining Instacart’s proven grocery leadership and technology with Skip’s unparalleled local reach.”
Cstores that offer foodservice can be the one-stop shop that can fulfill emergency runs, a weekly pickup of household goods and a fresh meal at the touch of a button.
“Instacart has built its reputation by delivering the online grocery ordering experience Canadians trust,” said Ryan Hamburger, chief commercial officer of Instacart. “Partnering with Skip provides Instacart customers the convenience of ordering restaurant delivery through our app, and it lets us meet new Skip grocery customers right where they like to shop. Together, we’re making it easier than ever for Canadians to get what they need, whether it’s a week’s worth of groceries or their favourite restaurant meal.
