Woolworths rolls out high-tech 'eStore' built to handle online orders
Woolworths has become the first retailer in Australia to launch a "dark" automated e-commerce store designed to pick and pack online orders faster than ever before.
Largely automated, the store uses a network of conveyor belts and storage units to deliver products to team members who then hand-pick customer orders.
The storage units can hold up to 10,000 grocery products, while team members will continue to pick fresh fruit, vegetables and meat from the shop floor.
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The new high-tech system going into the back of Carrum Downs store to help ship more home deliveries across the south-east. Supplied
The system is called Takeoff Technologies. Supplied
Dubbed the "eStore", the new facility is located at the back of Woolworths' Carrum Downs store in Melbourne.
It's anticipated the new technology will allow Woolworths to deliver thousands of online orders to customers in Melbourne, including some on a same-day basis.
More than 150 team members will operate the eStore, picking and packing orders that Victorians make online.
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Woolworths personal shopper Belinda Victor with a customer's order. Supplied
CEO Brad Banducci said Carrum Downs represented what the future of Woolworths may look like.
"The continued growth in online grocery gives us an opportunity to reimagine what the future of our stores will look like," Mr Banducci said.
"As customer expectations continue to rise, we're investing in new technology to keep pace with the growth and focusing on building an ever more convenient online offer.
"The micro-fulfillment technology in this eStore is a potential game-changer.
"It will help us deliver unparalleled speed and accuracy in the online picking process while keeping us close to our customers for faster and more flexible deliveries to the home."
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Andrew Campbell in the vertical storage section of the store. Supplied
Mr Banducci said an unexpected positive side-effect of the eStore is that there will be less team members in the customer-facing store.
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Conveyor belts help deliver products to team members. Supplied
"This speed and proximity is key to boosting the availability of the same day deliveries more and more of our customers want given their busy lives," Mr Banducci said.
"Importantly, the eStore layout also helps reduce congestion in the aisles for our in-store customers, as our personal shoppers pick most items in the back of house."
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