Albertsons Cos. has partnered with Glympse, a Seattle-based provider of location-sharing technology, to give shoppers using the grocer's e-commerce platform the ability to track in real time the status of a grocery delivery or Drive Up & Go order.When finishing their order, delivery customers can now opt in to receive notifications powered by Glympse via text or email that provide key updates throughout the fulfillment process. Once their order is en route, they'll receive a link to a live map of their delivery truck and exact time of delivery.“We want to make our e-commerce experience as simple and transparent as possible,” said Narayan Iyengar, cv digital and e-commerce at Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons. “Our partnership with Glympse makes it even easier for customers to get their groceries however and whenever they want.”The service is available now on delivery orders at Albertsons, Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Tom Thumb and Pavilions. Glympse isn't available on orders fulfilled by Instacart. This spring, Albertsons will pilot the Glympse technology in select Drive Up & Go markets as well. The opt-in service will notify customers when their order is ready and let them share their location, so the store can bring their groceries to their car exactly when they arrive.Drive Up & Go is already available at more than 250 Albertsons Cos. locations, with plans for expansion of the service in 2019.Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. operates 2,277 retail food and drug stores, with 1,743 pharmacies, 395 associated fuel centers, 23 dedicated distribution centers, five Plated fulfillment centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. The company’s stores mainly operate under the following banners: Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Sav-On, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Amigos, Haggen and United Express. Albertsons is No. 3 on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
