Delivering the goods (profile of Jason Gissing, one of the founders of Ocado, the UK Internet retailer specializing in groceries)

Article Type: Abstracts From: Strategic Direction, Volume 27, Issue 6

Gray R. and Gissing J.The Marketer, November 2010, Start page: 24, No. of pages: 4

Presents a profile of Jason Gissing, one of the founders of Ocado, the UK Internet retailer specializing in groceries and with links to Waitrose, the UK supermarket retailer. Reports that the company stocks over 21,000 items,delivers over 100,000 orders per week, and whose 4,500 staff is expected to double over the next few years. Explains that the company was launched on the stock market in a flotation that saw a last-minute reduction in its initial public offering (IPO) price and where the share price fell steeply amid investor concerns over the online grocer’s lack of profitability. Takes the view that criticism of Ocado neglects the fact that, as the world’s largest online supermarket, Ocado is well placed to exploit changing shopping patterns and technological advances, all of which require substantial investment. Points to the company’s revamping of it Web site, together with its keenness to exploit the rise of transactional “apps” as revealed by the launch in 2009 of the Ocado “On The Go” iPhone app and an Android app in April 2010; indicating that Ocado is leading the way with apps among UK grocers. Concludes that, while Gissing may be an entrepreneur, he has pricing high on his agenda as any good marketer should.Article type: ViewpointISSN:0954-1543Reference: 40AA228

Keywords: Communications technology, Electronic commerce,Internet, Internet marketing, Marketing strategy, Mobile communication systems,Mobile telephones, Organizations, Retail trade, Smartphones, Strategic marketing, Supermarkets, United Kingdom, Wireless communications