foodpanda app users can now shop for groceries easily and more conveniently with the launch of the item replacement feature on foodpanda shops. This feature helps customers quickly find alternatives when their ordered products are unavailable.

The new feature is part of foodpanda’s region-wide roll-out in Asia Pacific, including Singapore and Malaysia, with plans to roll out across all 11 markets in the next few months.

With the item replacement feature, customers will receive a push notification or text message when an item ordered from foodpanda shops is out of stock, prompting them to substitute it with a similar product. They will have five minutes to make their selection before the replacement process ceases and they are refunded for the unavailable item. foodpanda shops pickers are trained to analyze customer preferences, product specifications and real-time inventory levels, ensuring that replacements not only match the original item but meet customer needs perfectly.

“We are dedicated to enhancing the shopping experience for our customers. Our new Item Replacement feature ensures that when specific products are out of stock, our customers receive suitable alternatives without any hassle. This feature demonstrates our commitment to customer satisfaction and delivering top-notch service,” said Joseph Wijesekara, foodpanda Philippines Director of Q-Commerce.

A study by IHG group revealed that retailers will lose nearly $1.2 trillion globally in 2023 due to out-of-stock products. Wijesekara noted that offering replacements for out-of-stock items instead of instant refunds could prevent millions in annual sales losses for foodpanda’s retail partners.

To start, item replacement will be available for supermarkets and grocery chains on foodpanda shops such as Robinsons, Shopwise, and Marketplace, with Southstar Drug, Watsons, and Ever Supermarket to follow in the coming months.