GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Nov. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Busy customers picking up groceries at their local Meijer stores were welcomed with a pleasant holiday surprise last weekend. While parked at their designated Pickup spot, Meijer team members rolled out their orders and – from a socially-safe distance – shared the good news that their orders were free.
With a "Happy Thanksgiving" and a $50 coupon towards their next order, the customers were on their way.
"You have no idea how much this means to us," said Sarah Swinney, a customer at the Meijer store in McHenry, Ill. "We just had a baby and this help is going to make a big difference for our Thanksgiving holiday. I wish I could hug you."
The Meijer Pickup surprise event is the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer's way of showing its Pickup customers how much they are appreciated, especially during a Pandemic when the company has seen an unprecedented increase in the use of the program. Some of the surprises featured holiday music, bouquets of flowers and Meijer team members dressed in holiday attire. The highlights can be seen on a video being shared on various social channels.
"This year has been challenging for everyone, so we wanted to show our appreciation to some of those customers who have trusted us to do their essential shopping," said Derek Steele, Vice President of Customer Strategy for Meijer. "Surprising them as they picked up groceries in preparation of their Thanksgiving meals seemed like an ideal time to do something special."
In all, 234 stores selected one lucky customer to receive their entire order, plus a $50 coupon towards the next time they schedule a pickup from the Meijer.com site. Once the groceries were placed in their car, each Store Director surprised the Meijer team member who shopped the Pickup order with a $100 gift card.
"Our team members step up every day with a 'customer first' attitude and are truly heroes, not just in our eyes, but in the eyes of their communities," Steele said.
In October, Meijer announced that it's now offering its Meijer Pickup service free on orders over $50 at no charge. The new program, which does not require membership, offers the same as in-store pricing and includes access to weekly sales items. Customers order online here where they can keep track of their total basket, use mPerks rewards and coupons, note any preferences and choose an available time for pickup. Then the customer texts when they arrive at the store and park in an assigned area.
Due to reduced hours during the pandemic, the Meijer Pickup service is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 256 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the "one-stop shopping" concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.
SOURCE Meijer
