An EVG reader was at the Trader Joe's location on Union Square the other day when she overheard two employees say there would be no more home deliveries from the store beginning on March 1.
"Horrified and dependent on deliveries — four flights of stairs — since they day they opened in NYC (in 2006), I went to the manager's desk because I hoped I heard it wrong," the reader told me via email.
"But no, it was apparently right, according to someone who seemed to have all the details. She said the cost of the delivery service is too great and is affecting pricing overall," the reader continued. "They tried every alternative and can't make it work without raising prices, which is their priority. So, deliveries are done — all locations, not just Union Square — effective March 1."
I reached out to the Trader Joe's HQ for more info.
Kenya Friend-Daniel, the company's national director of public relations, confirmed the news.
"When we originally introduced delivery, we had one store on 14th Street in Manhattan and options for outside delivery services were limited," she said in an email. "Today, there are seven Trader Joe’s stores across Manhattan, with more on the way; and there are now a number of services available for transporting food and people."
So...
"Instead of passing along unsustainable cost increases to our customers, removing delivery will allow us to continue offering outstanding values — quality products for great everyday prices, and to make better use of valuable space in our stores," she said. "This was not a decision we made lightly. We value our customers and all that they do to come shop with us."
Oh speaking of more Trader Joe's on the way... will one of those happen to be coming to 432-438 E. 14th St.?
"I have nothing to confirm at this time," she said.
Not a regular customer but the times I have shopped there I have always schlepped by bags home so can someone tell me if deliveries were free?
ReplyDeleteNEVER FREE...I LIVE IN EAST VILLAGE AND IT COST ME $6.99 FOR DELIVERY 10 BLOCKS SOUTH. DISABLED SO I WILL MISS THIS SERVICE.
ReplyDeleteGrocery is a thin-margin business and I'm surprised delivery lasted this long. There has to be a — cue Rand Paul here, sorry — free-market solution to this. Many restaurants have off-loaded delivery to third-party vendors of different stripes; I would imagine someone will expand TJ delivery to NYC. That said, as a society we need to ensure that people with disabilities don't end up getting fleeced. That's a whole other discussion.
ReplyDelete6.99 to deliver groceries is cheap.
ReplyDeletejust up the delivery fee? doesn't seem complicated.
ReplyDeleteThe 72nd & Broadway store seemed to be using a contractor for home deliveries. I assume the home delivery people were not paid well and it may be that they had to use their own vehicles?
ReplyDelete(The gig economy and race to the bottom...)
The 72nd Street Trader Joe's was built right in front of a bus stop - and because there was no other space, the delivery vehicles were constantly parked by the bus stop, impacting bus riders/bus access.
The many Trader Joe shoppers who wait for Ubers at the bus stop also block bus access)
PSA: Astor Wines also delivers for free for all orders over $100. Buy in bulk and save! (not always the easiest thing to do with a small EV apartment)
ReplyDeleteThere prices have been creeping up over the last year or so. I guess they were getting nervous that they might end up non competitive in a very competitive market.
ReplyDeleteHow do you get and pay for delivery after March 1?
ReplyDeleteComments on this particular story seem extra clueless. It's clear as day, no more deliveries after March 1. And if Trader Joe's prices have "been creeping up" I sure as hell have not noticed it. And no, jacking up prices is not always the simple easy solution you think it is, you obvious non-business owner.
ReplyDelete"...to get Trader Joe's, you got to go into a store. Trader Joe's is a place you visit. It's not a site that you click.
ReplyDeletefrom Trader Joe's podcast (yes thye have a podcast), episode 10 https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/inside-tjs-podcast
This so sucks. I have been a regular customer ever since TJ 14th Street opened. I have since become partly disabled .(I’m 73) and even with Access A Ride find it difficult to get out to shop. I depend on Whole Foods and Fairway and Village Farm, and I guess now I will be entirely reliant on them. Thanks a bunch, Trader Joe’s.
ReplyDeleteThe Trader Joe's on 14th Street, like all the others, has been subcontracting delivery to another company. They do a good job and shoppers who are elderly or have physical challenges are dependent on their service. They could have simply tried raising the cost of each delivery and seeing if that worked before dumping the entire thing and leaving those with special needs out in the cold - not quite the "care about the customer" vibe Trader Joe's likes to put out. In addition, Trader Joe's suggests customers use Uber - not much of a help to those with stairs to climb. And not great for the environment or congestion either - currently deliveries are made in the neighborhood using carts, a nice system. Others wonder how much has to do with the raising of minimum wage to a much-deserved (and still too little) $15.00, Sounds like some accountant at Trader Joe's found a way to say a few bucks. Other stores manage to deal with delivery, why not Trader Joe's? Do they really care so little for a segment of their shoppers?
ReplyDelete