Webvan
Shut down and filed for bankruptcy in 2001.
Webvan was a dot-com-era online grocer that promised same-day home delivery from automated warehouses, backed by hundreds of millions in venture capital and a fleet of branded delivery vans. It expanded into multiple cities and built costly distribution centers far faster than its customer base grew. When the internet bubble burst, Webvan burned through its cash and collapsed in 2001 — a textbook cautionary tale that nonetheless prefigured today's grocery-delivery business.
Known For
- Dot-com online grocery delivery
- One of the era's biggest startup flameouts
- Ahead of its time on grocery e-commerce