WhyRunOut, a same-day delivery competitor, expands test in Southern California

WhyRunOut.com, a web site that offers same-day home delivery from multiple retail stores, has signed a multi-year agreement with Stater Bros. Markets to distribute Stater Bros. selection of grocery products to nearly 2.5 million households in Southern California. Stater Bros. will utilize WhyRunOut.com's integrated marketing and web-based fulfillment services to sell to online consumers from 15 of 155 Stater Bros.' retail stores between October 2000 and January 2001. Jack H. Brown, chairman of Stater Bros. Markets said, "We are pleased with our initial home delivery test sites. By utilizing WhyRunOut.com, we can acquire customers who perhaps currently purchase groceries online from other online companies." Stater Bros. first began testing the WhyRunOut.com home delivery service in May 2000 from South Orange County. In July 2000, the delivery service was expanded to include two Northern San Diego County Stater Bros. supermarkets. WhyRunOut.com reports that 96% of customers who purchased groceries through the web site were new to State Bros. WhyRunOut customers select and receive products directly from the shelves of their neighborhood stores. Other WhyRunOut.com retail partners include dry cleaners, film processors, package shipping and movie rentals.