Williams- Sonoma launches new recipe app, shipping program
Williams Sonoma is rolling out a new recipe app and a new shipping membership program.
The new recipes app provides access to thousands of the retailer’s recipes, and instructional videos developed and tested in the Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen food pro. A major home furnishings retailer is introducing new digital meal-planning and delivery services.duct/recipe development hub.
Users of the iOS app will also have access to exclusive content, how-to videos and tools that assist with building grocery lists, and creating virtual recipe boxes to organize recipes and assist with menu development. App functionality also enables users to browse recipes curated around a specific cuisine, season, ingredient, holiday, or kitchen appliance. The cooking classes section in the app provides recipe guides and videos to teach users cooking techniques or tips for working with various ingredients.
Access to the app is available for an annual subscription fee of $39.99, or free with a $99 annual subscription to the new Williams Sonoma Reserve membership program.
In addition to a free app subscription, customers who sign up for Williams Sonoma Reserve membership will also receive free shipping on standard items for a year and access to four of Williams Sonoma’s virtual cooking classes, which would normally cost $80. Membership to Williams Sonoma Reserve is available via the company’s website.
Williams Sonoma is also part of The Key Rewards, a free-to-join loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across all Williams-Sonoma banners.
According to the retailer, the addition of both the Williams Sonoma Reserve membership program and the Williams Sonoma Recipes app reinforces the company's ongoing strategic initiative to develop and deploy additional digital channels for content distribution.
Williams Sonoma is joining two increasingly popular trends with these offerings. While the retailer offers a limited specialty food selection and is not a grocer, omnichannel recipe planning apps and services are becoming more common in the grocery vertical. Albertsons and Walmart are two recent examples.
And since Amazon’s introduction of its paid Prime membership service, which includes free delivery on qualifying purchases, retailers including Walmart, Kroger and Target (via its Shipt on-demand delivery subsidiary) have all launched paid membership programs with free delivery components.
“Williams Sonoma Reserve and the Williams Sonoma Recipes app provide our customers new ways to engage with our brand and our coveted recipe content,” said Williams Sonoma president Ryan Ross. “We’re excited to extend membership benefits like free shipping to our customers as well as virtual classes as we kick off the holiday shopping and entertaining season.”
As of May 2, 2021, San Francisco-based Williams-Sonoma operated 578 stores under banners that include Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm, and Rejuvenation. Product assortment includes cookware, cooks’ tools, cutlery, electrics, bakeware, food, tabletop and bar, outdoor, cookbooks, as well as furniture, lighting and decorative accessories.