Turning Social Media Comments into Customers: The Future of Grocery Foot Traffic with Oskar Wahlbäck
Intro
Local grocers don’t need another “awareness-only” social tactic—they need sales. On this episode of GroceryPulse, host George Goodwin (4th-gen grocer & founder of Innovar Marketing) sits down with Oskar Wahlbäck, engineer-turned-founder of Commentsell, a Sweden-born platform that turns Facebook/Instagram posts into bookable, in-store deals. The result? Viral, community-driven posts that convert comments into guaranteed store visits—and, per retailers using the model, 20–30% revenue lifts when baked into the weekly sales mix.European-style “reserve in comments” deals are proving that social media can do more than generate likes—it can drive real shoppers into stores. By letting customers claim discounts directly in a Facebook or Instagram post, grocers overseas are turning online engagement into guaranteed foot traffic. Now, as U.S. independents begin testing this model, the results show it’s more than a trend—it’s a powerful way to boost sales, build community, and stand out in a crowded market.
Meet the Guest: Oskar Wahlbäck, Founder & CEO, Commentsell
Oskar spotted a scrappy Swedish trend: stores posting a deal and asking shoppers to comment to reserve. Some posts drew hundreds to thousands of comments, but staff had to respond and tally reservations by hand. He built Commentsell to automate the heavy lifting—from post creation to reservation tracking and pick-up reminders—so stores could scale from “1–2 deals/week” to 10–15/day without extra labor.
Proof at scale (Sweden/Denmark): 250+ stores, 85,000+ campaigns, 8.8M products sold, $170M+ retailer revenue (per Commentsell).
Now landing in the U.S.: early stores in New Jersey and Colorado; ideal fit for independents and small chains.
👉 Learn more / book a demo: https://commentsell.com
How Bookable Discounts Work (and Why They Convert)
The flow:
Post a deal on Facebook/Instagram.
Shoppers comment “book me 2” (etc.) to reserve.
Store confirms & holds item for same-day/dated pickup.
Shoppers must visit in person—increasing the basket.
Why it outperforms ordinary posts & coupons
Algorithm fuel: Comments drive organic reach (friends see “Alex commented…”), creating a local viral loop.
Commitment effect: A reservation is a micro-commitment that converts intent into store traffic.
Scarcity & speed: “200 units only—while they last” moves inventory fast (perfect for short-dated items).
Real stories from the pod
A rural Swedish store booked a strawberry surplus and saw ~1,000 extra shoppers in a day.
Case-only energy drink deals did $60K on a single post (strong vendor buy + community momentum).
Specialty shops use it to right-size orders (e.g., shrimp) by pre-booking at full price—reducing waste.
The Pain You Actually Solve: Management, Not Just Marketing
Before Commentsell, stores were manually replying to hundreds of comments and building pickup lists at night. The platform automates:
Comment parsing & reservations (AI understands quantities/variants)
Lists for front-end teams (what’s booked, by whom)
DM reminders via Messenger/Instagram
Mobile-first workflow for fast, daily execution
In Sweden, managers report ~1 hour saved per day just from automation—freeing time to run more campaigns with less friction.
From Sweden to the States: Why Now
Post-COVID traffic tools: Grocers need repeatable foot traffic that’s measurable (comments, reservations, pickups).
Meta is still local: Facebook/Instagram remain the most practical discovery channels for neighborhood retail.
U.S. appetite: Early pilots show shoppers adopt “comment-to-reserve” quickly when the price and product fit.
Use It Like a Pro: A Simple Playbook for Independents
1) Pick the right products
Short-dated or perishable (berries, deli meats)
High-volume everyday buys (coffee, cases of energy drinks)
Vendor-supported buys (turn vendor deals into attention)
2) Keep the post simple
Clear product, price, and pickup window
“Comment ‘BOOK 2’ to reserve” + unit cap (“First 200”)
One great photo (no clutter)
3) Train for speed
Confirm in minutes; send auto DM with pickup details
Hold firmly, but release holds by close to prevent carryover
4) Measure the right things
Comments per post (leading indicator of reach)
Reservations → pickups (conversion)
Average basket on pickup days (attachment sales)
Beyond Grocery: Phygital Retail That Actually Sells
This model bridges digital intent and physical pickup (“phygital”). It’s not just for supermarkets—hardware, pet, and specialty food shops can pre-sell bulky or seasonal items, then fulfill in-store with attachment sales.
Bonus: It’s eco-smart. Booking short-dated items reduces food waste while protecting margin.
Rapid Fire Highlights from the Episode
One metric to track: Comments per post (not likes).
What to avoid: Viral TikToks with no local conversion plan (awareness ≠ traffic).
Consistency wins: Treat it like a daily sales channel, not a one-off stunt.
Happiest-countries aside: Oskar credits Sweden’s safety net & culture of trying things—and yes, dogs at cafés make him smile. 🐶
Expert Insight: Oskar Wahlbäck on Productivity
Oskar Wahlbäck, an engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of Commentsell, has helped teams across the globe adopt retailers, grocery through social media comments which is where he got his company name he helps automate it with teams espcially if you want to grow the campigns!
“Don’t overload your team with too many apps at once. Start with one tool that solves your biggest pain point, and build from there,” says Oskar Wahlbäck.
“Productivity isn’t about doing more — it’s about making the important stuff easier to do.”
This simple approach helps teams avoid burnout while still improving performance.
Rapid Fire Highlights from the Episode
One metric to track: Comments per post (not likes).
What to avoid: Viral TikToks with no local conversion plan (awareness ≠ traffic).
Consistency wins: Treat it like a daily sales channel, not a one-off stunt.
Happiest-countries aside: Oskar credits Sweden’s safety net & culture of trying things—and yes, dogs at cafés make him smile. 🐶
🎙 Bonus: Want real insights from grocery leaders? Tune into the GroceryPulse Podcast — where we share behind-the-scenes stories, tech trends, and strategies shaping the future of retail.
Conclusion
Social media doesn’t have to be a vanity metric machine. With bookable discounts, every post can become a store visit, every comment a commitment, and every pickup a bigger basket. That’s how local stores compete—and thrive—against bigger players and pure e-commerce.Expert Insight: Oskar Wahlbäck on Productivity
Oskar Wahlbäck, an engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of Commentsell, has helped teams across the globe adopt new productivity tools. He believes the key is keeping it simple.
“Don’t overload your team with too many apps at once. Start with one tool that solves your biggest pain point, and build from there,” says Oskar Wahlbäck.
“Productivity isn’t about doing more — it’s about making the important stuff easier to do.”
This simple approach helps teams avoid burnout while still improving performance.
At Innovar Marketing Agency, we help businesses like yours boost productivity and growth through smart digital strategies. Whether you need help selecting the best productivity products or designing systems that make your team thrive, our experts can guide you.
“We believe that the right tools plus the right strategy can unlock unstoppable growth.” — Innovar Marketing Agency
Key Takeaways (with helpful links)
Bookable discounts turn engagement into guaranteed foot traffic.
→ Demo & case studies: https://commentsell.comOperational ease is the unlock. Automation beats after-hours comment wrangling.
Start with perishable and vendor-backed deals. Build momentum, then scale daily.
Measure comments → reservations → pickups → basket lift. Treat it like a sales pipeline, not “just social.”
🔗 Learn More & Reach Out
🎧 Listen to GroceryPulse
Spotify (link to show home)
Apple Podcasts (link to show home)
🤝 Connect with the Guests
🌐 Book a Demo with Commentsell → commentsell.com
🌐 Explore Innovar Marketing Agency → innovaragency.com
