Have you jumped on the online grocery shopping bandwagon? Are you curious about online grocery shopping? While it can be super convenient, shopping for groceries online can also present its own set of challenges. Knowing which app to use, getting the items you need, and keeping the cost low are a little bit more difficult when you’re ordering online instead of standing in the aisles of the grocery store. Here are some of our tips for online shopping – share in the comments if you have more!
Benefits of Online Grocery Shopping
As if you don’t know! But, for those of us that haven’t gotten deep into online grocery shopping, here are some of the reasons to give it a try.
- Convenience at your fingertips. Shop whenever you want.
- Having a profile that personalizes shopping and stores information.
- Search for the exact product you want without having to search through aisles.
- Schedule your orders for pick-up or delivery at a time that fits your schedule.
- Order history (review past orders to remember that one item you liked, but forgot the name of).
- Reviews and rating option.
Tips & Tricks
Getting started with online grocery shopping can be daunting and it seems like a lot can go wrong. Following a couple of basic principles can help you avoid some of the more common pitfalls.
- Order early. For a lot of people the convenience is the more alluring aspect of online shopping. You are able to shop wherever and whenever you want, for as long as you want. Items in your list will stay in your cart until you check-out or delete them. Sounds amazing, right? It can be. But, many of the online ordering platforms place a premium on orders made at the last minute, so you may end up paying higher fees or getting stuck with a late night delivery time.
Tip: Orders come on a “first come, first served basis”. To get the best deal, it is best to place an order as early as possible – this can even be days before!
- Be flexible. While the online ordering platforms are pretty accurate, there is the potential to run into stock issues. A customer shopping in the store could have grabbed the last of a product you wanted before the store has had a chance to collect the items in your order, or there may be purchase limits on items on your list. Most apps allow you to enter in a substitute product or brand in case they are out of the exact item you ordered.
Tip: Being flexible with your items could open the door to trying new things and can help alleviate your frustration. You can also be strategic about your pick-up/delivery window. If you need a high-demand item, try setting your time slot for later in the afternoon or evening. Stores are likely to restock their shelves in the early morning into the afternoon.
- Be secure. These apps make it easy to store multiple addresses and payment information. Having all that info in one place could sound a little scary, but this adds more to the convenience feature.
Tip: If you are wanting to stay more secure only put in one payment option, preferably a credit card instead of a debit card.
- Plan your meals. Going to a store on an empty stomach is never a good idea. You are likely to buy way more food than intended. It can also make it hard to stay on budget. The same is true when you’re doing your shopping online!
Tip: Plan out your meals for the week while putting together your grocery order. You are more likely to get everything you need and stay within your budget. The great thing about pick-up/delivery orders is that you won’t be wandering through aisles throwing things into your cart.
Do you grocery shop online? What are the pros and cons for you?