RESOURCES

The final marketplace featured in this three-part blog series is Kroger. Over the last several years, the retailer has upped its digital investments. And, subsequently, has positioned itself favorably amid the growth of online grocery. In fact, according to eMarketer, Kroger's e-commerce sales topped $11 billion in 2020, growing by nearly 80% YoY. We believe Kroger is a solid blueprint for up-and-coming online retailers to reference. It has found great success early on and is solidifying itself as a contender alongside Amazon, Walmart.com, and Instacart. Continue reading to learn how to implement best practices when it comes to content and creative on the channel.

Content Best Practices for Kroger

As with any marketplace, your brand's content presence can impact how successful efforts will be on a given channel. On Kroger's online marketplace, content is relatively comparable to Target. However, it’s more user-friendly and doesn't require shoppers to click or interact with a detail page to 'see more'. For our clients, we use a very similar approach to Target and often and use the same assets with only minor tweaks. This allows us to scale across channels for our clients seamlessly and efficiently.  We've included a few of our best practices for Kroger below to reference. 

• Titles should follow this basic formula: Brand name, Basic Product Description, Color/Scent/Flavor 

• We suggest only using pack size in the title and including the product size in other areas of the detail page 

• Product descriptions should be two or three paragraphs 

• Strategically include keywords in product descriptions for organic optimization

• Product descriptions are a great place to explain why to buy a product and lean into creative freedom with language

• Five to nine bullet points is the sweet spot on Kroger 

• Make sure bullet points are scannable

Creative Best Practices for Kroger 

Compared to most marketplaces, Kroger is restrictive when it comes to creative. First, brands are only able to include images of the actual products. This means brands have to get innovative when it comes to showing as many angles as possible. For our clients, we also try to show products inside and outside of the box or packaging. Below we outline several best practices and considerations for your strategy. 

• As of this writing, Kroger doesn't have the option to use video or enhanced content

• Kroger is very specific about file naming, must include UPC (GTIN-13 format is preferred) .jpg or .png 

• Brands must follow GS1 standards 

• Images should be on a white or transparent background

• Image Size Requirement: 1000px minimum in one direction, 300dpi (resolution) 

• White or transparent background

Strategic Insight 

For a broader look into the marketplace, brands interested in Kroger should understand how to get started. At a high level, there are five steps to complete before a brand can be fully integrated. 

• Apply Online 
• Upload Your Catalog 
• Add Product Images and Descriptions 
• Update Prices and Inventory 
• Plan Order Processing Flow  

Once complete, products must be approved by Kroger. From there, Kroger will support its buyers and sellers as needed, but most of that responsibility is on brands. Anything from inventory, catalog management, pricing, to promotion takes place within Kroger's seller's portal. 

Aside from simply selling on the platform, advertising on Kroger should be a focus for brands. For our clients, we’ve leaned into Sponsored Product Listings, Digital Coupons, and High-Traffic Site and App placements. While it's a younger marketplace, brands that invest in advertising will have the advantage of being early adopters. Should Kroger progress and grow as expected, getting ahead of the competition will be crucial.

Final Thoughts 

If you've followed along for some time, you understand our perspective on creative and content for any marketplace. Each facet is key to a successful holistic approach and neither can be ignored in today's competitive landscape. As Kroger's marketplace remains in its early stages and has its limitations in these areas, having a strategic partner will be essential. 

If you could use our support, schedule a free consultation. And, as always, we’re here to answer any questions about your efforts. Finally, should you be interested in learning more about our clients’ results, explore advertising-related case studies on our website.