ThryveAI Introduces SNAP Payment to Boost Customer Loyalty

Due to the global pandemic, under the American Rescue Plan, Congress recently approved an extension of increased SNAP benefits through September 2021.

FREMONT, CA: ThryveAI, a grocery-first e-commerce platform, announced support for Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) payments. Grocers using ThryveAI's platform will have the option to offer a seamless and convenient shopping experience to customers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program by allowing them to pay for online grocery orders with their EBT cards securely.

While navigating the sharp acceleration in demand for online grocery this past year, grocers are also facing financial and technological challenges in offering EBT payment options:

Delivery Costs: The USDA doesn't allow SNAP funds to be used for delivery fees, but it's costly for grocers to waive or reduce these fees for SNAP customers. If they don't waive the fees, grocers risk losing these customers to competitors.

UX: Having a friendly user experience that is consistent for both SNAP and non-SNAP customers, including via mobile devices, can be an additional obstacle for grocers.

Split Payment Options: Since SNAP benefits can only be used to pay for eligible items, the platform needs to allow for split payments so that shoppers can seamlessly use an alternative payment method to cover non-EBT items and delivery costs, including EBT Cash for shoppers that don't have credit or debit cards.

Many grocers interested in setting up SNAP online payments, mainly smaller and mid-sized grocers with limited resources, are looking to partner with a technology provider that already supports this capability to overcome these challenges. ThryveAI's modern digital commerce platform addresses these challenges by enabling a user-friendly digital experience for both SNAP and non-SNAP shoppers using the full commerce platform or mobile device and offers secure EBT payment and split-payment options.

"Grocery retailers are looking to accept SNAP payments in their digital storefronts but are being met with regulatory, financial, and technological obstacles, making it extremely challenging to implement," said Neil Moses, CEO of Mi9 Retail/ThryveAI. "While larger retailers can more easily clear these hurdles, these challenges put smaller chains at a disadvantage, and at risk of losing customers. By offering an integrated EBT payment option we hope to alleviate some of these grocers' burden and make it easier for them to meet the individual needs of their customers, provide equal access to online grocery shopping, and boost customer loyalty."