Our In-Store Pickup Company Has Grown To 66K Locations

Published: April 23rd, 2022
Mitchell Nikitin
Founder, Via.Delivery
3
Founders
30
Employees
Via.Delivery
from Menlo Park, CA, USA
started October 2019
3
Founders
30
Employees
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Discover what books Mitchell recommends to grow your business!
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My name is Mitchell Nikitin. I’m co-founder and CEO of Via.Delivery, the largest alternative delivery network in the US.

Our company enables e-commerce retailers (without brick-and-mortar stores) the ability to offer customers the option to pick up their purchases at nearby commercial locations such as a grocery store or pharmacy at dramatically reduced shipping costs.

Via.Delivery is the only technology/service that offers this option at checkout and our network is growing fast, increasing from 15,000 locations in one country to 66,000 locations in five countries! Below is a map featuring our pickup locations in the US.

via-delivery

What's your backstory and how did you get into entrepreneurship?

I was raised and educated in Russia, earning a degree in fiber optics and quantum physics. But working as a “monitoring engineer” was not for me.

You’ll have to trust others more than you would expect. Remember, running a profitable business is all about people.

Fast-forward a few years. I became a racecar driver and then a stock trader – both professions that rely on speed, intuition, and a cool head. The stock market was a game-changer. Once my clients started getting decent returns on their investments, they decided to invest in my first business, a logistics company called A-Motion Logistics Solutions.

Take us through your entrepreneurial journey. How did you go from day 1 to today?

It was during that time I learned the value of customer feedback as it relates to the evolution of a business, and my customers were becoming frustrated with scattered dropoff times and signature requirements. They requested another option to eliminate the hassle: the ability to pick up their deliveries at a nearby location instead.

We gave it a shot. The pilot was a success! Our model not only cut shipping costs but also increased sales. Customers appreciated the convenience, and the grocery store pickup points appreciated the extra traffic. When customers popped in to collect their packages at the store, they purchased other items. A win-win!

That brings us to 2020, right at the start of the pandemic. We had received an invite from Alchemist Accelerator to visit the US and see if our model would be a good fit here.

We landed in San Francisco in August of that year and noticed immediately that the US shipping market was a painful experience, and our business model could make a difference. Via.Delivery was born in the US!

How are you doing today and what does the future look like?

Via.Delivery is already operating in huge territories with sales, IT, support, and onboarding teams in place. It has only been a few months since we launched in the US market so national expansion is currently our primary focus. As the business continues to grow, we’ll be setting our sights on Canada.

Early data from consumers shows alternative delivery will be the predominant shipping method in the United States within the next 3-5 years.

More than 50% of online shoppers abandon their carts at checkout because of the high cost of shipping. With Via.Delivery, pure-play e-commerce merchants can now offer their customers a more cost-effective option, and, depending on the merchandise, these retailers can e

Expect an 8% to 34% increase in conversion rates.

Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?

We’ve all heard it before: Success doesn’t happen overnight. New entrepreneurs must make good decisions and a few bad ones. Like hiring. I’ve learned it’s impossible to scale without a proper team. My advice to startups is to hire intelligent, knowledgeable, hard-working people whom you don’t have to micromanage. Then, let go of the reins.

Think about it, you want to spend your time cultivating business relationships and driving sales, right? So, delegate. Give your team members the freedom to make their own mistakes. There’s an exceptional value in that.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?

Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business - by Kindra Hall

Secrets of Sand Hill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It - by Scott Kupor, Eric Ries

What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture - by Ben Horowitz

The Mom Test - How to Talk to Customers & Learn If Your Business Is a Good Idea When Everyone Is Lying to You - by Rob Fitzpatrick

Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?

A sustainable business model and seed money will only get you so far. YOU will be steering this ship and maintaining forward momentum is vital.

Yes, good timing and luck help. But remember, there is no “perfect” time. Things will go wrong. Accept your failures and learn from them. That’s the most effective way to find your groove and grow your business. I’ve learned to charge ahead with unrelenting drive, intuition, and a cool head – a bit like my racing and stock-trading days.

In fact, your failures might even help you be the first to market another version of your product or service that consumers need and want. Gather feedback and be flexible.

You’ll have to trust others more than you would expect. Remember, running a profitable business is all about people.

Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?

With more shoppers choosing alternative delivery, Via.Delivery is growing and we’re looking for sales professionals in the B2B space who want to join us in this revolution. If you’re interested, send an email to [email protected].

Where can we go to learn more?

And if you’d like to learn more about us, go to our social media and press pages: