Sainsbury’s has announced it has decided to close its standalone general merchandise website to help simplify the shopper experience and enable the company to drive a more profitable sales growth.
Sainsbury’s will merge its non-food offers with its core online grocery proposition and hope that the transition will be completed by November. This change will allow customers to be able to purchase general merchandise products alongside their main grocery shop in one transaction just as if they were to shop in-store for the same products.
Sainsbury’s online director Robbie Feather said: “Customers told us that they expect to buy the same products online as they do in our stores. For the first time, customers will have the opportunity to buy more items in one online transaction including an extended kitchen range, bed linen, stationery, toys and small electrical items such as kettles.”
“We’ve had huge success on smaller (non-food) items in-store, we should be able to replicate that success by giving customers the same opportunity online. We will see significant growth on our hero categories online.”
Sainsbury’s will be keeping its clothing brand Tu separate from the grocery site, however it is planning to launch Tu online for the first time later this month on a standalone website.
