Show HN: Ernie's, Click & Collect Groceries

I like the concept. My wife used to work for plumgood food in nashville and the infrastructure build out seemed really expensive... seems like you may be able to avoid that with this if you partner with a local grocery store so you don't have to manage inventory. I would start there and put all my focus on creating a killer shopping experience online-- there are a lot of intangibles of just cruising through a grocery store that have to be rethought when you take it online. Best of luck!

We aren't trying to compete with home delivery offerings. We are competing with the traditional supermarket model, which is still the dominant grocery model in the United States. Because population density in the many parts of the U.S. is low, home delivery has enormous challenges to profitability.

Supermarkets remain as the "normal" grocery solution, but leave a lot to be desired in terms of convenience, customer service and quality. We aim to fill that gap.

Thanks! I have actually been working with some of the principals from Plum Good (including Eric, the CEO) on the Ernie's concept. I've learned a lot from their experiences.

I'll be honest, I'm skeptical. And I'm sure investors are skeptical too after spectacular failures like WebVan and Kozmo.

Sure these sites were different than what you are trying to accomplish (Online --> Deliver to your door vs Online-->Pickup at local store), but they still have similar problems. Groceries operate at razor-thin margins, and being a warehouse of food will only take you so far (just ask WebVan). How do you know if your "Ernies" associate will pick a ripe apple vs a bruised one? How can Ernies be "friendly" if all the interaction is ordering online/pickup at the store?

The biggest question for me is, what is to stop the competition from implementing this if it sees initial success? Order online --> Pick up at store already exists for many types of businesses, if Meijer or Publix or Acme Grocery co sees success, they'll probably add this to their options, at a much easier cost than you will (as they will already have retail stores). What competitive advantage can you use that can fight against this?

I love that you're going after a market so ripe for disruption, appreciate your coming to Hacker News for feedback/community, and I wish you the best.

But I think you have it backwards...

The real problem is not the time spent in the supermarket, it's getting there and back. You're addressing the wrong issue.

Many people want their groceries delivered for all kind of reasons:

  - They have small children they don't want to take with them.
  - Weather.
  - Traffic.
  - Health issues, elderly, shut-ins, etc.
  - They don't have a car.
  - They work and can only go the same time as everyone else who works.
  

On the other hand, if they are going to the trouble of driving all the way to the supermarket, then they might as well go inside:

  - to examine and choose their own produce
  - to examine and choose their own meat
  - to examine and choose specials (which can be done well on-line)
  - to handle and compare similar items
  - to consult with the butcher/deli manager/etc.

The negative attitude of employees you cite in your video has never been an issue for me. The only real issue has been the check-out lines: there are never enough, the lines are too long, and they are expensive to operate.

If you are seeking large amounts of investment, why don't you just attack the real problem: getting out of the supermarket without waiting in line. All the necessary technology is already available. I just want to fill my cart and go home.

Please don't become another Webvan. Take that money and leverage current technology to eliminiate check-out lines in existing supermarkets forever. That's what people really want.

We don't need more infrastructure. We need better use of technology in existing infrastructure.

Bar codes dragged us that industry into the 20th century. RFID can drag it into the 21st.