A dark store, also known as a dark supermarket or virtual store, is a retail facility that resembles a traditional brick-and-mortar store but is not open to the public for in-person shopping. Instead, its primary function is to fulfill online orders for delivery or pickup. Dark stores are designed and stocked like regular stores, with aisles, shelves, and product displays, but they operate as fulfillment centers for online orders rather than catering to in-store customers.
Dark stores are often utilized by grocery retailers and other e-commerce businesses to streamline the process of picking and packing items for online orders. These facilities are optimized for efficiency in order fulfillment, allowing for faster and more accurate processing of customer orders compared to traditional retail spaces.
The term “dark” in this context refers to the absence of regular customers walking through the aisles, as the store is essentially closed to the public. Dark stores have become increasingly popular in the era of e-commerce, enabling retailers to meet the growing demand for online shopping and improve the overall customer experience in the digital retail landscape.