H-E-B, Thumbtack partner to offer on-demand services like pet sitting
- About 300 H-E-B stores will have branded displays from the home management platform Thumbtack.
- Shoppers can scan the QR codes for access to pet-related services, such as grooming and training.
- At some H-E-B stores, customers can browse and purchase other home services.
Around 300 H-E-B supermarkets now have branded displays from Thumbtack, which will let customers access third-party services.
According to a March 10 release, the displays will let customers scan QR codes to access local pet service providers that offer services such as pet walking, grooming, training and sitting. Thumbtack was founded in 2008 and is a home management platform that helps its customers book home services in more than 500 project categories. The H-E-B partnership is its first entrance into retail.
While all H-E-B stores with the displays will receive access to pet-related services, certain H-E-B stores will also gain access to Thumbtack’s on-demand resource, which will let customers hire for other services, such as lawn care and cleaning services. Services booked through the Thumbtack platform available to H-E-B customers are discounted by 10%, according to the release.
“Thumbtack’s job is to make caring for everything in and around the home a seamless experience for the homeowner,” said David Steckel, senior director of strategic partnerships at Thumbtack, in the release. “Expanding into physical retail brings us one step closer to that by allowing us to be a partner for consumers whether they’re shopping in-store for their pets or getting their backyards ready for hosting.”
H-E-B operates more than 430 stores in Texas and in Mexico and is based in San Antonio. Also in March, the supermarket operator announced it would renovate and expand one of its San Antonio stores, also adding its True Texas BBQ restaurant. Last month, H-E-B opened its first multi-level location in Lake Austin, Texas. That store features the BBQ restaurant and other concepts that include SouthFlo Pizza and Lake Austin’s Coffee, according to a release.
Its partnership with Thumbtack is an example of the ways retailers in essential categories are innovating their in-store experiences for consumers. As Retail Leader Pro recently reported, stronger in-store technology offerings are one example of ways retailers across categories can earn the attention of consumers.