0 Online Groceries, Pick Up & Delivery

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Have you tried online grocery shopping or curbside pickup? If so, leave a comment below with your experience. It’s not just for busy moms with little kids. It’s a great service if you are a senior, don’t have access to transportation, are homebound due to health, or other circumstances that prevent you from going into a grocery store to shop. Hate going outside in the rain or snow to grocery shop? Then online grocery shopping may be your answer.

The pros of online shopping can not only be a timesaver, but can reduce impulse buying. Shopping while you are hungry or with small children can lead to impulse buying! The online shopping experience can vary from site to site, but is pretty straightforward:

1. Go to the store website or app & login
2. Select Delivery or pick up, and note if you'll accept substitutions
3. Select a Day/time for delivery or pickup
4. Fill your online cart with grocery items
5. Place your order. Payment is charged at the time of pickup.
At the store, park in the designated area, call or text the store to let them know you have arrived. The employee will bring a cart filled with your groceries and load them into your car.

One of my readers told me she is a mom of a special needs child. Pushing both a wheelchair and a grocery cart is just not feasible. She shops Target online, a store that uses a 3rd party company called Shipt, that allows her to get items from local stores such as CVS, Kroger, Petco, etc. She has built a relationship with her personal shopper that understands her personal and unique needs. Once the shopper begins shopping, they will text or call her to discuss things like “the store is out of bananas, would you like organic bananas instead?”

Let’s take a look at some online grocery delivery & pickup options and see if any fit your needs. The best grocery delivery is one that makes your life easier.

Pros: no waiting in lines, can be delivered to your door or picked up at the store at your designated time slot, saves time & impulse buying. Delivery can be in a few hours or in 1-2 days.

Cons: minimum order, can’t use paper coupons, some items may not be available, time slots may be full, can’t use cash, if you miss your time slot, you may be charged a fee. Curbside pickup takes planning, often a few days in advance.

TARGET (any many other stores!)
Target uses Shipt delivery, the service the above mentioned reader uses. Shipt connects local retailers in your neighborhood with personal Shipt Shoppers that help you get the things you need.
Same Day Delivery: Yes
Curbside Pickup: Yes - Drive up option
Cost: $99 per year, or $14/month
Fees: Free on orders of $35 or more
Payment: Credit Card, Debit Card, SNAP, EBT
Tipping: can add to your order & shopper receives 100% of all tips
Special Offers: $15 off your first order. 20% off Annual membership (April 2020)

*The price you see is the price you pay. No unexpected costs. There may be a small fee for handpicking certain items (produce), but is reflected in the price you see.
*Exclusive savings and weekly store sales offered in the Shipt app.
*Flexibility to change delivery addresses, so you can send groceries to friends or family.
*Same day delivery by Shipt is available from these retailers and more:

Stores that use Shipt Delivery
Target
Petco
CVS
ABC fine wine & spirits
Buy for Less
Central Market
Costco Wholesale
Crest Foods
Dierbergs
Harris Teeter
H-E-B
Meijer
Winn Dixie
Macey's Grocery - Promo: use NEWSHOPPERSAVE at checkout to save $5 w/$30 min. purchase

WALMART
Walmart uses DoorDash to make deliveries. You can find more information here.
Same Day Delivery: Yes
Curbside Pickup: Yes
Cost: $7.95-$9.95 per delivery, must order a minimum of $30
          Unlimited Delivery $12.95/month or  $98/yearly
Fees: Free with minimum order. No markups. What you see is what you pay.
Payment: Credit Card, Debit Card, SNAP, EBT
Special Offer: Use Promo Code WOWFRESH to receive $10 off your order of $50 or more
Substitutions: if checked, employee will choose the next size up, or chose another brand.
Tipping: Not required, but can add it to your delivery.

*Oder by 3pm for same day delivery

AMAZON 
Amazon is partnered with Whole Foods Market. You can try Amazon Prime FREE for 30 days or give a gift of a Prime Membership.
Delivery: as little as 2 hours, depending on your area
Cost: $119/year Prime membership
Fees: Free to Prime members with a minimum $35 purchase (varies by location)
Payment: Credit Card, Debit Card, (SNAP, EBT in select states)
Tipping: $5 is the suggested tip, but you can add more. Not sure if 100% goes to the driver.
*Only available in select areas
*Whole Foods: Amazon Prime members receive free 2 hour delivery
*Subscription Services: With Subscribe & Save, you can receive up to 20% off on products that you regularly use. You can cancel this option at any time.
*Can use Alexa to create a shopping list.

INSTACART
Instacart works with your local grocery stores to provide delivery to your door. An Instacart shopper gathers your food and uses their personal car to drive the groceries to your home.
Delivery: 2 hour by courier
Cost: $5.99, Two Hour or more Delivery
          $7.99, One Hour Delivery depending on size of order & delivery time
          $149/year, includes FREE delivery on order over $35
Payment: Credit Card or Debit Card only
Substitutes: Instacart shopper will call or text you if an item is out and ask if you want a substitute.
Tipping: 5%, with $2 minimum is suggested at checkout, 100% goes to the driver.

COSTCO
Costco uses Instacart for their delivery service. They offer Same Day delivery for perishable items and Two day delivery for non perishables. Consumer Reports (2018) found that the cost of groceries was about 31% higher than warehouse prices; Costco replies that this is to cover the cost of the service & delivery. Cost is higher for nonmembers that use Instacart directly.
Delivery:Same Day Delivery - perishable items, available in qualifying areas
               Two Day Delivery - No delivery fee on orders of $75 or more.
Curbside Pickup: Not available for grocery items
Cost of Membership: $60/year Gold; $120/year Executive (offers 2% back on purchases)
Cost: Free with $35 minimum order, Instacart 10% service fee charge in addition to your order.
Payment: VISA Credit Card, Debit Card, Costco Cash card, EBT
Tipping: Same as Instacart, 5% with a $2 minimum. 100% goes to the driver.

KROGER - SMITH'S
We have a Smith's locally and this seems like a good option, as it provides curbside pickup. You do have to plan ahead of time, as slots fill up quickly. At the time of this writing, day/time slots are about 4-5 days out. Once you have reserved your spot, you can begin filling your online cart with items, up till midnight, the day before of your reserved spot. When you arrive, you call the number and an employee will come out with your groceries and put it in your open trunk. The receipt will be in one of the bags.
Delivery: Yes - available in certain areas
Curbside Pickup: Yes - Must reserve a day/time online.
Fee: Delivery $9.95-$11.95 depending on your location
Fee: Curbside $4.99 (waived temporarily at the time of this writing)
Payment: Credit or Debit cards only
Tipping: Optional. Delivery drivers are paid a flat rate per delivery; 100% of tips go to the driver.
Substitutions: Optional. If item is not in stock, shopper will chose like item in larger size. If that is not available, they will select a similar or comparable item in a different brand. You can opt out of substitutions.
*Smith's uses digital coupons which can be found through their app and applied to your order

HARMONS (Utah only - Check your local Associated Food Store)
Delivery: Yes
Curbside Pickup: Yes
Fee: Delivery $9.99
        Curbside $4.99 pick fee (Waived on first three orders, using their app)
Payment: Credit Card, Debit Card (see Terms here)
Tipping: Unknown
Substitutions: available, can opt out