You can’t talk about retail leaders without mentioning one of the biggest retailers on the planet.

Walmart’s success in grocery eCommerce is often attributed solely to its size, allowing for optimized supply chains, a wide product range, and low prices. However, what’s often overlooked is how Walmart uses real-time data to identify consumer trends and deliver personalized value to customers.

Scale is part of the equation, but data-driven insights are equally critical.

For regional grocers, that can be daunting. They’re up against mass merchants who continuously emphasize lower prices and wider product availability. On top of that, larger retailers also have the resources to invest in advanced technology that improves customer experience and drives strong returns.

But here’s the thing: grocers can embrace technology, too, and achieve much of what Walmart does—without needing a Walmart-sized budget. The key is shifting away from traditional, costly marketing methods like weekly circulars and adopting tech-driven, digital marketing strategies that prioritize precision and efficiency.

Personalization has long been a retail buzzword, but it doesn’t fully capture the capabilities of modern contextualized commerce solutions. At Mercatus, our approach begins by collecting and consolidating customer data. This data is then leveraged to deliver:

• Predictive personalization for the customer: Highly relevant recommendations and offers timed to purchase cycles.
  
  
• Operational insights for the grocer: Identifying shopping patterns to optimize fulfillment options and stock levels.