Mobility For Healthier Elementary School Students
- THE SUPERMARKET EXODUS: In 1968 there were 91 supermarkets in Washington, D.C. A decade later33 remained. Supermarkets and researchers say the stores have closed mainly because of dwindling profits stemming from high rents, inadequate parking facilities, frequent shoplifting, and other crimes. A number of chain supermarkets closed after they were damaged in The King assassination riots. LINK
- THE DOLLAR STORE EXPLOSION: As supermarkets closed, “Dollar stores” started sprouting up with limited healthy and affordable food options, sometimes with the help of local tax incentives. They advertise hard-to-beat low prices but it offers little in terms of fresh produce and nutritious items. These “small-box” retailers are now feeding more people than grocery chains like Whole Foods, which has around 400-plus outlets in the country. In fact, the number of dollar-store outlets nationwide exceeds that of Walmart and McDonalds put together—and they’re still growing at a breakneck pace. LINK
- SUBSIDIZED MOBILITY: Martha’s Table, a Washington, D.C., non-profit organization and Lyft has begun interviewing families for a 6-month pilot program that will subsidized rides to full-service grocery stores. Up to 500 families will receive round-trip transportation for $5 a week. To be eligible, families must have kids registered at one of the seven participating elementary schools in the area, attend an in-person orientation and complete three surveys during the pilot. LINK
Mobility For Helping Retailers Competing with Amazon
- CLICK & COLLECT: The buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) trend is gaining popularity quickly. In a year when retail sales hit a record $80.3 billion from Nov. 1 to Dec. 6, up 18 percent from last year, so-called “click and collect” orders were up 46 percent. 86 percent of brick-and-mortar retailers agreeing the model will soon become the “default delivery method” and 93 percent expecting to introduce it within the next few years. LINK
- COLLECT & SPEND MORE:79 percent of consumers are making additional in-store purchases when retrieving their BOPIS order. LINK
- MOBILITY AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: Shoppers who use the Old Navy’s Buy Online, Pickup In-Store capability will be eligible for free Lyft rides to-and-from the brand’s stores on Dec. 22, otherwise known as Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas. Guests who use the buy-online-pickup-in-store service will also get a free gift-wrapping set, and a $5 gift card to use towards their next purchase. LINK
