Well that escalated quickly.

In just a few months' time, online grocery demand has reached heights many didn't expect for years down the road. Spurred by stay-at-home orders and consumer sentiment ranging from unease to full-blown panic over the coronavirus, e-commerce sales have soared as millions tried these services for the first time. This, in turn, has driven grocers to invest in their platforms, from revamping front-end tools and promotions to building new fulfillment processes like pick-up.

As grocers look at all of the possibilities that lie ahead in e-commerce, they probably feel overwhelmed. This report takes a critical look at some of the strategies and technologies that promise to shape the future of online grocery. It provides a much-needed assessment of micro-fulfillment, which has generated a lot of hype, but requires careful vetting, experts say. It also looks at where pickup and delivery are headed, how retailers are adding value to their apps and websites and much more.

If Amazon buying Whole Foods was the e-commerce shot heard around the world for grocery, then the coronavirus pandemic has been a second, equally piercing blast. The difference is that whereas the 2017 acquisition convinced retailers to come online, the pandemic has forced them to make it a core part of their business.

This report includes several key stories impacting grocery e-commerce, including:

• 5 e-commerce trends supercharged by the pandemic
• MFCs promise to revolutionize grocery e-commerce
• How the pandemic has sped up autonomous grocery delivery
• The growth of digital marketplaces
• The evolution of grocery pickup
• The battle over delivery
• Grocers' moves to offer online subscriptions

These are just a few of the many trends and topics impacting grocery e-commerce today. We hope you enjoy this deep dive.

Access trendline here.