The Top 2019 Delivery Trends Among Convenience Customers

PHILADELPHIA — Convenience customers were snacking on Flamin' Hot Cheetos in 2019, as well as ordered an increased amount of personal care items, and canned and boxed wine, according to goPuff's first-ever Off the Shelf Report.

Based in Philadelphia, goPuff is a digital convenience retailer that operates to bring products directly to customers in the moments they need them most, according to the company.

Off the Shelf Report analyzed data from millions of orders over the past 12 months, from November 2018 to November 2019. The report is broken down into three segments: The Changing Consumer, Steadfast Behaviors and Regional Trends.

THE CHANGING CONSUMER

Snacks

Even as consumers eat healthier, they won't abandon more traditional snacks. Nearly a quarter of consumers (24 percent) who ordered a health food item this year also had a traditional snack in their basket. This indicates that a dedicated subset of consumers is willing to shift their habits in some areas while not compromising an old favorite snacks, according to goPuff.

Baby Products

Consumers are shopping for the family on goPuff, indicating a need for immediate convenience for their essential items. When purchasing a baby product, customers were also likely to order other daily necessities, including: Horizon Organic Whole Milk, Bounty Paper Towels, Charmin Ultra Strong Toilet Paper or Minute Maid Lemonade.

Parents are using goPuff's delivery to skip the family trip to the store and order from home at more convenient times instead. The majority of baby product orders occur in the evenings, between 6:00 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Personal Care Essentials

Personal care has a peak season. Products from goPuff's personal care category, like shampoo, conditioner and face masks, have historically seen a higher volume of orders during the winter months, with a 45 percent increase in orders December through February. 

Alcohol

Wine drinkers are opening up to all packaging formats. Although bottled wine continues to make up the majority of wine orders, goPuff reported a 115 percent increase in boxed and canned wine orders in 2019. This trend towards canned and boxed wines has accelerated throughout the year, with orders for these items increasing 47 percent between July-September. 

All demographics, ages 21+, are ordering alcohol online for delivery. When looking at wine consumers over the age of 45, 60 percent, while men who are more likely to order wine exist in the 31-34 age range. Men are more likely to purchase beer on goPuff, with 65 percent of all orders coming from men across a variety of 21+ age segments; from women, those over the age of 45 are most likely to order beer. Additionally, the biggest cohort of customers ordering hard seltzer in 2019 was men between the ages of 21-30.

STEADFAST BEHAVIORS

Snacks

American favorites are about flavor and experience. For the third year in a row, Flamin' Hot Cheetos was the number one snack ordered on goPuff. However, over the past three months, demand for Gushers has skyrocketed.

Over the Counter

Cold and flu orders follow the school year. GoPuff's cold and flu orders traditionally begin increasing at the end of August or early September and remain high through early April. Cold and flu orders peaked on Feb. 17. 

Despite changing consumer habits, e-commerce trends and innovation, go-to sick day products have stood the test of time. Orders for OTC medicine also include:

• Snacks: Premium Saltine Crackers and Campbell's on-the-Go Chicken and Mini Round Noodles
• Drinks: Gatorade, Simply Orange Juice, Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Sprite
• Essentials: Puffs Plus Lotion Tissues, Charmin Toilet Paper, Kleenex and Bounty Paper Towels

Home Essentials

Spring cleaning is not just a chore, but a buying behavior. Historically, orders for cleaning products peak in April and May, when compared to the two months before and after, indicating a notable purchasing behavior.

Most Popular Order Days by Product

Coffee

• Most popular order days: Dec. 9 and Memorial Day Weekend
• Least popular order days: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve

Advil/Tylenol

• Most popular order days: Feb. 23 and Memorial Day Weekend
• Least popular order days: Nov. 19 (Monday before Thanksgiving), May 22 (the Wednesday before Memorial Day)

Wine

• Most popular order days: New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day
• Least popular order days: Christmas Eve and Feb. 4

Beer

• Most popular order days: Halloween, New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl Sunday
• Least popular order days for beer: Jan. 2 (the day after New Year’s Day) and May 28 (the day after Memorial Day)

Regional Snacking Trends