Remember when you couldn’t imagine ordering shoes or clothing online? For many of us, the concerns about online shopping have not only been resolved, but you’ve probably become completely sold on the advantages of stores like Amazon or Zappos. Since most of us are buying more online, you have likely bought groceries online. If so, we have five tips for successful online grocery shopping below.
According to surveys, most of us still haven’t bought online groceries, but most of us do shop online. In fact, in mid-2017, 64% of US households were Amazon Prime members, but 94% of people said that they still do most of their grocery shopping in stores.
In 2017 only 31% of grocery stores had online shopping, but that’s changing rapidly. Most major grocery chains now have online ordering for pickup or delivery and many of your local stores likely have it.
Many of us simply “like to see my produce in person.” I get it. I felt the same way until I started ordering from my store from the comfort of my couch. Here’s the thing: buying groceries online might just be the single biggest time saver you can find on a weekly basis.
The fact is that online grocery shopping has evolved, and for busy people, it simply makes the job of feeding the family so much easier.
If you haven’t given it a try yet, here’s what we recommend:
5 Tips For Successful Online Grocery Shopping
Have your list ready.
Even more than in a store, it’s important to know what you want to buy before logging in. The easiest and fastest way to get your list ready is to use a menu-planning service like The Dinner Daily. For just $1 or so a week, the planning is done for you.
Be flexible.
Be prepared for possible substitutes. Inventory for online orders can be different from what’s in the store, so there may be the occasional brand that is not available or the delivery service might substitute a brand, but in general, you should be able to get what you need.
Don’t wait until the last minute.
Order your groceries at least two days before you need them to get your pick of delivery times. Many times, you can schedule delivery the next day, but often, the most popular delivery times will be taken the day before. (Note: some services give you a discount on delivery fees if you have more flexibility). Or, if you do wait until the last minute (hello the real world!), read our next tip:
Try the “Store Pick Up” option.
Curbside pickup will save you money and may be easier for you than delivery, especially if it’s hard for you to be home at specific times. With curbside pickup, you still order online and your order is ready for you when you arrive. You don’t even need to get out of the car as most stores have a special drive-through or designated parking spaces, and their staff load your groceries right into your car. This is a huge convenience when you have little kids in car seats, or you are faced with doing groceries in a downpour.
Test Multiple Options.
Understand that not all delivery services are the same. Some promise same-day service and the delivery fee may be the same, but the groceries are priced higher. The prices of groceries charged by some independent delivery services are not always the same as those you see in the store.
Once you’ve tried ordering groceries online for either delivery or pickup, you’ll likely wonder why it took you so long. You can do all of your shopping in less time than it takes to drive to the store (heck, for me, it’s less time than it can take to find one item at the store).
My husband and I are very busy and have been trying to find ways to save time wherever we can. I liked how you said that buying groceries online can possibly be the biggest time saver you can find on a weekly basis. I usually can spend an hour or more at the grocery store and making lists of things we need. I can see how this could end up saving me a few hours every week.
Hi Sabrina. Thanks for your comment! Yes online grocery shopping has huge advantages. Let us know if you ended up taking advantage of it and how you found it!
Thank you for explaining that you need to be flexible. I’ve been thinking about ordering online for my groceries lately. I’ll be sure to keep this in mind when I make my first order.