The Warehouse and Countdown set to open drive-thrus to pick up orders

The Warehouse Group will next week launch drive-thru online shopping collection points at some stores and roll out click and collect to 230 stores.

The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Noel Leeming, Torpedo7 and e-commerce site TheMarket, says it will be trialling drive-thru order collection at four locations in Auckland - Albany, Westgate, Royal Oak and Manukau.

Following an online order, shoppers will receive a text once their order is ready to collect. The service will begin from Tuesday.

Pejman Okhovat, chief operating officer at The Warehouse, said the move will allow consumers to shop safely as the retailer, along with the rest of the country, transitions into operating under alert level 3.

"While we can't open our stores during this time, we can offer another safe and secure way for Kiwis to shop our complete online range that's free, except for oversize items, and easy to use," Okhovat said.

The company's electronics chain Noel Leeming will allow appointments for devices that need repairs and its outdoor equipment retailer will operate contactless bike service repairs under level 3 lockdown.

Its online e-commerce business TheMarket and its Red Shed business The Warehouse will offer drive-thru pick-up at some Auckland stores.

Photo / Getty Images

"This is just another example of how we are adapting our business to this changing environment and our team members are doing their best to provide customers with a convenient service, while keeping everyone safe," Okhovat said.

TheMarket chief executive Justus Wilde said the online store had shoppers would be also be able to use its drive-thru collection service to pick-up groceries.

The business has also partnered with meal kit and ready-made meal companies Foodbox, HyperMeat and Jess's Underground Kitchen.

Supermarket Countdown will also offer a drive-thru collection service at its newly opened Rototuna store in Hamilton.

The opening of the online-only store was fast-tracked due to increased demand for groceries following the mandatory lockdown.

The store will test a range of new technologies and will open to the public in June.

"With New Zealanders staying home for the lockdown, more people than ever want groceries delivered to their door or ordered online for pick up. We made the call to open our Rototuna store early as an online-only fulfilment site to help increase our online shopping capacity in the Waikato area and support more customers," Countdown's general manager of digital, Sally Copland, said.

-nzherald.co.nz