Online Groceries

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Does anyone use online grocery? Do you save money? I tried it once with the $10 credit but i saw the delivery fees so expensive. I started to read about the costs and was told that it's not for people who drive and aren't mobility disabled. But someone said they do it with buy in store and drive and pickup from walmart. Then prices are the same and no time shopping.

That makes sense to me. But it's not true online grocery shopping right? That's not delivery to your home. Kind of buy in store and pickup. Nothing against that but you still have to drive and get groceries. But anyone do the full on service? Why and how can you get the numbers to pencil out.

[alliecat79]

I do an online service. I find it really helps alleviate impulse buying. The groceries are sometimes cheaper, depending on if I purchase sale items, etc. I often use it during high stress times when that extra couple of hours allows me to prioritize other household tasks. It was crucial during my pregnancy and now that I'm kind of stuck at home. I can't say it will save you money, especially if you are good at sticking to your list.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I do an online service. I find it really helps alleviate impulse buying. The groceries are sometimes cheaper, depending on if I purchase sale items, etc. I often use it during high stress times when that extra couple of hours allows me to prioritize other household tasks. It was crucial during my pregnancy and now that I'm kind of stuck at home. I can't say it will save you money, especially if you are good at sticking to your list.

What does it cost to have it delivered? I don't normally buy a ton at grocery stores very specific stuff usually to make a meal. And I like shopping on sales. Do the sales translate over? i was told that a lot of places charge you more per item on top of the fee to deliver. Which makes sense because how else do you pay for the labor to pick up the items from the shelf if it doesn't cost more? And the delivery fee or $5.99 or $9.99 should go to the driver right?

[Smallsteps]

I guess some may simply not have time new baby would be a good reason or health issues.
I like to shop for my own and often stores have in store deals that do not show up online. do you expect a store employee to know how to pick a melon or tomato or how ripe does the avocado need to be. .I look carefully at meat as well some prefer more marbling and the young man I saw running through a store filling some online orders did not look like someone to pick up my list.

[disneysteve]

I used to work with a woman who loved online ordering/curbside pickup. Her reason? She hates grocery shopping, plain and simple. She was happy to pay the $5 fee (I think that's what it was) so that she never had to set foot in the store. I don't know if she moved on to home delivery when that became an option but I wouldn't doubt it.

We have a neighbor who has some medical issues who has gotten home delivery for years. She does drive and isn't fully disabled but she is impaired so it's great for her.

Personally, I see no value in it. I like grocery shopping. While I wouldn't mind someone else grabbing a box of crackers or can of beans for me, I want to pick my own produce and other non-uniform products.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I used to work with a woman who loved online ordering/curbside pickup. Her reason? She hates grocery shopping, plain and simple. She was happy to pay the $5 fee (I think that's what it was) so that she never had to set foot in the store. I don't know if she moved on to home delivery when that became an option but I wouldn't doubt it.

We have a neighbor who has some medical issues who has gotten home delivery for years. She does drive and isn't fully disabled but she is impaired so it's great for her.

Personally, I see no value in it. I like grocery shopping. While I wouldn't mind someone else grabbing a box of crackers or can of beans for me, I want to pick my own produce and other non-uniform products.

but how do you pay for it? By item or by just an overall fee? With delivery? And $5 seems cheapt o have someone run around the store for you.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I have two friends who are blind. One is far to impaired to do anything at all on computer. The other can enlarge the font and see well enough to make an order. She says delivery is $10. The store is on the same street where she lives, but about a mile away. I imagine the delivery fee is based on purchase total, but she eats very little and I imagine she orders basically the same thing all the time. She thinks online ordering and delivery is a godsend.

[riverwed070707]

My local grocery store has options for curbside pickup and delivery. If your order is over $50 curbside is free (otherwise $5) and if its over $100 delivery is free (otherwise $10). I despise grocery shopping and love both options.

[msomnipotent]

I use Shipt. It saves me from having to order take out, but the groceries are always more expensive. Sometimes they are only a few pennies more, sometimes it is several dollars more per item. I can't use paper coupons but my MPerks account through Meijer is linked to Shipt so I can use digital coupons. Delivery is free with $40 in purchases, but I also pay $99 per year and tip the delivery people. I usually tip 20% or at least $10. The delivery people are usually excellent. They usually text when something doesn't look fresh but they have it in stock. Some will send a pic to see if I really want it. There was only one time where I had a few problems with my order, but I could tell she was new so I let it slide. Usually there are no problems.

[bjl584]

I never have used these services.
I eat fairly healthy and incorporate a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats into my diet, and I really don't trust someone else to pick that sort of stuff out for me.

[disneysteve]

And $5 seems cheapt o have someone run around the store for you.

Not really. When I go shopping, I see the InstaCart shopping crew running all over the store. Let's say they can pick 5 orders/hour. At $5/order, that's $25/hr. The runner is probably only making $10-12. Even if they're getting $15, that still gives the store $10-15/hour of profit, plus what they make on the sale itself. It's not a bad business model at all.

[alliecat79]

I use InstaCart and paid for the yearly membership. I think it was $149 for the year but it's $9.99 per grocery trip. During travel baseball season when I was NEVER home and spent Friday through Sunday at tournaments, it was a life saver. My son is not currently on a travel team and now that I'm no longer pregnant, I may get back into shopping myself and not renew the membership. I use Instacart so they shop at local stores. Local sales do apply which is nice, but not everything I like or need is in stock. There are some rumors that the company has a poor model of paying the shoppers (using tips as part of their hourly pay, not above hourly pay, etc). So I have concerns just about the company's ethics. I will say though that clearly people need this type of employment and I'm happy to keep our economy going this way.

I agree with Disney Steve on the produce, meat selection. I prefer to pick my own. But in terms of convenience and time saving, it is worth it. Just depends on your personal situation.

[riverwed070707]

Not really. When I go shopping, I see the InstaCart shopping crew running all over the store. Let's say they can pick 5 orders/hour. At $5/order, that's $25/hr. The runner is probably only making $10-12. Even if they're getting $15, that still gives the store $10-15/hour of profit, plus what they make on the sale itself. It's not a bad business model at all.

5 orders/hour?? Are people using this service for a single bag of groceries?? Can the shoppers take on multiple at a time and buy concurrently and then deliver? My assumption would be more along the lines of like uber - shopper gets order, buys groceries, delivers, and then returns to app to pick another order. In an area like mine, that would easily take an hour per customer with a moderate sized list.

[disneysteve]

5 orders/hour?? Are people using this service for a single bag of groceries?? Can the shoppers take on multiple at a time and buy concurrently and then deliver? My assumption would be more along the lines of like uber - shopper gets order, buys groceries, delivers, and then returns to app to pick another order. In an area like mine, that would easily take an hour per customer with a moderate sized list.

I see them pushing a cart through the store filling several bags as they go. I don't know if it's multiple orders or all for one, but I imagine some of each. If you are super familiar with the store and where everything is, I can see zipping through a basic order pretty fast. I'm rarely in the store for more than 20 minutes myself and if I was buying strictly off a list, it would be less. So even if they can do 4/hour, the numbers still work in the store's favor with a $5/order fee.

I'm only talking about in-store pickup, though, not delivery.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I see them pushing a cart through the store filling several bags as they go. I don't know if it's multiple orders or all for one, but I imagine some of each. If you are super familiar with the store and where everything is, I can see zipping through a basic order pretty fast. I'm rarely in the store for more than 20 minutes myself and if I was buying strictly off a list, it would be less. So even if they can do 4/hour, the numbers still work in the store's favor with a $5/order fee.

I'm only talking about in-store pickup, though, not delivery.

what if you put it in the wrong bag? I keep hearing about this walmart online grocery shopping. But I don't have a walmart with groceries nearby within 10 miles. So i'm not sure it would be worth driving versus 1.5 miles to costco and safeway.