Wesco Becomes First C-store Retailer in Michigan to Accept SNAP Benefits for Online Orders
MUSKEGON, Mich. — Wesco Inc. launched an online electronic benefits transfer (EBT) offering that enables Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to securely utilize their benefits online.
SNAP food stamps payments can now be made at all of Wesco's 55 convenience stores across western Michigan. Customers now have the option for both on-demand home delivery and curbside pickup.
According to Wesco, it is the only retailer offering online ordering and home delivery to SNAP beneficiaries in many of the towns in which it operates. Customers may also purchase SNAP-ineligible items using traditional payment methods in the same order, as they would be able to do in-store.
To offer this service, Wesco teamed with the Vroom Delivery platform. The service is now live in four states, with more than a dozen additional retailers expected to launch the offering in the coming months, according to Wesco, which added that in many locations, these retailers are some of the first businesses in the entire state to offer online EBT payments.
In Michigan, where Wesco is based, it will be only the seventh retailer to do so, with the rest being large national grocery brands such as Walmart and Aldi, the retailer revealed. As Convenience Store News reported, 7-Eleven Hawaii Inc. partnered with Vroom Delivery to offer the program in Hawaii earlier this year, with the retailer stating it was "thrilled to accept online EBT payments for customers who utilize our delivery and pickup services."
Vroom Delivery recently optimized its menu layout for retailers offering online EBT to make it easy for consumers to see at a quick glance which menu items are eligible.
"We are very excited to launch this program in partnership with Wesco," said John Nelson, CEO of Vroom Delivery. "Wesco already provides such a unique and valuable delivery service to consumers in many underserved locations, and adding EBT to their offering will just make Wesco's service that much more valuable to their customers.”
"We have received tremendous support from our customers on our implementation of online ordering. It has been a well-liked and very successful addition to increasing customer convenience. It is a move to the future of convenience retailing, and we want to lead the way," said Nancy Westgate-Sytsema, Wesco co-president. "Wesco also prides itself on focusing on the customer and listening to their input. We have gathered responses from our survey and social media comments, and one common thread is offering EBT/SNAP as a payment option with our online ordering platform. We are very excited to work with the USDA and Vroom to make this a reality."
Muskegon-based Wesco is a family-owned and -operated chain of 55 convenience stores. For 70 years, its mission has been customer service.
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Chicago, Vroom Delivery is a full-stack e-commerce solution for convenience stores, providing every technical aspect required for chains of convenience stores to operate and manage their own e-commerce and delivery services. Vroom can set up an entire network of stores for e-commerce and delivery within a matter of days, the company stated.