Purpose -The objective of this piece of qualitative research is to identify the key success factors (KSFs) of the grocery "click and drive" (or drive or drive-in) model developed by French grocery retail companies and to understand the basis of their competitive advantages. Design/methodology/approach -The authors compare the conclusions of a review of the literature with an analysis of the various grocery drive-in approaches developed in France. These approaches are studied by applying a multi-method qualitative perspective comprising semi-structured interviews with managers and e-consumer focus groups.Findings -The research confirms -with the exception of the quality of customer reception, which is particularly valued by managers and consumers -the main key success factors identified in the literature, and reveals a real consensus among the main operators on those KSFs and on the nature of the kind of core competences required in order to obtain competitive advantages.Research limitations/implications -The comparison of the real profitability of "drive-in" sales outlets and a more precise evaluation of the advantages of an integrated multi-channel approach would provide more accurate results. Moreover, the authors have limited this study to an analysis of the French experience. The research implies that French grocery retailers should develop, along with a more differentiated logistical system, an improved approach to customer relations marketing. Moreover, it implies that "click and drive" outlets enable traditional grocery retailers to sharpen their competitive edge. Originality/value -This article provides an original analytical approach to the identification of the critical success factors of large grocery retailers developing drive-in services. In answering this research question, the study should also help large grocery retailers to achieve their development objectives and counter the stagnation of traditional retail formats, especially the hypermarket.

Looks at the development of Carrefour‐Primodès and Wal‐Mart, the world current leaders in terms of turnover and employment. Presents seven issues of particular interest to leading managers and researchers and examines how these are dealt with by the two leaders. Concludes that Wal‐Mart and Carrefour present two different models which stand in opposition on many points, and questions whether a convergence of the two will not result in a perfect model.

Illustrates the reasons that have determined the success or failure of the discount retailers on the international scene, through the identification and analysis of the strategic groups, competitive advantages, entry barriers to the sector and barriers to mobility between the groups. Three strategic groups of discount food retailers that have adopted different internationalisation strategies have been defined and a series of key success factors of the different strategic groups has been identified. The winners in the race to international expansion are in particular the leaders of the first group of German hard discount retailers. But important niches in several foreign markets can also enable growth of retailers in the second group, the German soft discount retailers specialised abroad, and of the third group, the French soft discount retailers diversified abroad.

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