AS THE Covid-19 outbreak deepens, major supermarkets and grocery stores in Cebu have ventured into various ways of contactless shopping to protect their customers while they continue to shop for their daily needs during this enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period.
Homegrown Gaisano Grand Malls has introduced a new service “Shop&Go” that allows customers to send their grocery list and mall staff will do the shopping for them. The shopped items are available for pick-up or for delivery through a third-party agent.
“As we value the needs of the customers and due to increasing demand, Shop&Go will now be available in Gaisano Grand Talamban, Fiesta Mall, JaiAlai, Minglanilla, Mandaue North, Liloan and Mactan branches,” Gaisano Grand Malls said in its Facebook account.
With more than 30 branches across the Visayas and Mindanao areas, Gaisano Grand Malls assured more branches will follow the same setup soon due to the extended ECQ.
Meanwhile, Metro Gaisano Store branches in Colon, Mandaue and Ayala Center have also introduced “Call & Pick Up,” “Text & Pick Up” and “Click & Pick Up” service shopping options for customers who want to skip the long lines and save time.
“We know your needs. We’re here to give you options for a more convenient, safer shopping experience during the public health crisis,” said the Metro Gaisano in its Facebook post.
All three SM Store branches in Cebu—SM City Cebu, SM Seaside SM Consolacion and SM Hypermarket Lapu-Lapu—are also offering contactless shopping.
“Shop for essentials at SM City Cebu via our delivery partners. Delivery services are available for your convenience via Grab Pabili and iKumpra,” said SM City Cebu.
Prince Hypermart is also extending the same assistance. The group said it is offering cash on delivery options for its customers. It offers free delivery if the order reaches the minimum purchase required per zone or area and charges a delivery fee for a single order worth at least P3,000.
The government has deemed the operations of grocery stores and supermarkets essential to completing the food supply chain. However, with the ECQ implementation grocery shopping at this time is quite challenging as the ECQ resulted in temporary suspension of pubic transportation and limited shopping hours.