Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT), Google Inc (GOOG): Showrooming

Contrast that with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) who is also looking to get into the local grocery delivery game. They already provide groceries for millions of Americans with their Supercenters. Its nationwide network of 158 distribution centers dwarfs the other competitors we’ll discuss. In pilot testing of the local grocery delivery concept, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) has been filling orders with human pickers walking down the same aisles as other shoppers.

There is a better way to fulfill online orders, and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) may havefound it. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) needs an automated backroom warehouse for local deliveries, coupled with the retail locations it is known for. . . at least until we all start to order online.

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is another dangerous competitor. You think about Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) doing search, ads, and now mobile operating systems, but not deliveries. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) pivots into new opportunities better than virtually every other company in the world. What was Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Product Search has become Google Shopping. It has integrated Groupon-like deals (remember the deal that fell apart?), but that is only the beginning.

Google Shopping Express is in what could be termed the alpha stage (it’s only rolling out to a few select customers in the Bay area). But it lets shoppers place items in a virtual shopping bag, then selecting what time on the same day they want those goods delivered directly to their doorstep.

The question now is not if the grocery industry will be disrupted, but when and by whom? All the companies we discussed seem to have a competitive advantage in the space. Keep a close eye on new developments in the sector, Fools. The company that can figure out how to merge Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT)’s widespread distribution network, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)’s order fulfillment capabilities, and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s search integration abilities will dominate the grocery industry.

The article Delivering the Goods: How the Grocery Industry Is About to be Disrupted originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Robbie Laney.

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