Which is Best For Online Grocery Shopping?

Online grocery stores offer a broad variety of quality goods at prices that are less expensive than your local store. To determine which one is the best option, I tested a few popular services to find ones that offer the best brands, a variety of products and fair prices with a easy delivery or pick-up options.

Online shopping is all about planning your list and making sure you've booked your delivery time before it is filled up. Also, you'll need to be able to swap items based on availability.

1. Instacart

This online grocery delivery service lets you order via either a mobile app or web site, creating a virtual cart that is then fulfilled by a personal shopper on a specific day. Instacart collaborates with more than 1,400 national, local and regional retail banners in North America to deliver products from more than 80,000 locations. You can even find membership-only store locations like Costco and Sam's Club, on the platform.

Instacart's fees include a $2.99 same-day delivery fee and an additional $3.99 service charge (plus a tip for the customer). The fees are similar to the ones you'd pay at the local grocery store. However, you won't have to drive to park, stand in the line. Instacart offers a year-long membership for customers who purchase at minimum 14 times a year. This will reduce your costs for delivery and service fees.

Hindert recommends you price shop before adding items to your shopping cart if are concerned about the price of food items. Instacart lets you add specific prices and nutrition information to your list, so you can compare prices and ingredients to those of the items you already have in your cart. You can also create an "shoppable list" using the Instacart application. This is helpful for future grocery shopping trips.

However, Hindert warns that using Instacart to purchase groceries might not be as beneficial as doing your own shopping as it could lead to buying impulse items. Additionally, grocery delivery services don't always offer the same in-store sales that you would find at your local supermarket.

2. Amazon Grocery

With Amazon Grocery customers can get their groceries delivered directly to their doorstep. The items are sourced from local Amazon warehouses and can be picked up by a courier or dropped off at a designated location (where you must be present to receive your order). The service is available for next-day and same-day delivery. Amazon has a broad selection of groceries available, including fresh dairy, produce seafood, meat, frozen food, packaged goods and household products.

Amazon Grocery has become one of the most sought-after services for grocery shopping and for good reason. It has an affordable pricing structure, a huge range of items, and useful features that make it a great option for those looking to save time and money on their groceries. The service is an excellent option for those looking to cut down on their carbon footprint.

Bishop of Brick Meets Click said that Amazon Grocery's focus is on weekly food shopping, its affordable price point and its well-curated selection puts it in direct concurrence with traditional supermarkets. "Grocers that aren't recognizable in one of these areas are more susceptible to Amazon Grocery," he added.

As an incentive to drive more frequent and larger grocery purchases within its Prime membership, Amazon has introduced a number of new perks, including unlimited delivery of groceries. This will allow the company to position itself as an all-in-one store for a large portion of its customers' needs.

Amazon's merchandising innovation is another way it tries to attract customers to their stores. These include featuring local brands that have been successful in its smaller 365 stores, like Rockenwagner Bakery and Groundworks Coffee. This lets shoppers enjoy a an authentic experience when they visit the supermarket and helps build loyalty.

3. Walmart

Shopping online is becoming increasingly popular due to busy work schedules, family obligations and a general dislike of crowds. Click and ship makes it easy to get everything you need, from clothing to office supplies. Now the grocery store is being included in the fun.

Online grocery stores are on the rise with many offering convenience while others provide quality products at reasonable prices. Which one is right for you? We've reviewed the most popular grocery delivery services to help you pick the right one for you.

Instacart is a renowned online grocery service provides you with personal shoppers who shop for you at local stores. It is available in over a thousand cities and is a great alternative for those who prefer to shop at the chain supermarkets but want to avail discounts at wholesalers such as Costco and Aldi. Instacart provides same-day delivery to many markets, and its inventory includes stores such as Food Lion, Kroger, Wegmans and Shop n Save. It even has a service for bulk items which is ideal for those who frequently go to the supermarket to buy essentials.

Walmart is another big name in the world of e-commerce for groceries. You can order online and choose an appointment for pickup or delivery, then add your items to the virtual shopping cart. The site offers rollback deals, and a wide range of items from produce to pantry essentials to personal care products. There is also a Walmart+ service that delivers grocery items and other items from local stores.

Thrive Market, an online grocery store is a specialist in organic food and non-GMO products. Membership costs $5 per month, billed annually. It offers a variety of foods to choose from including fish, meat and dairy. Thrive provides free shipping on orders over $35 and has a selection of items that are healthy for you and the planet.

4. Smith's

Online grocery shopping can be a godsend for many families with busy schedules. These services can allow you not just take one weekly chore off your list, but also make plans for meals and budget for. However, not all online grocery stores are created equal. If you're looking to find convenience, a wide range of products, or the most affordable price, it's important to choose the right service for your family.

In addition to Smith's, several other online grocery stores provide convenient delivery and pick-up options. Some, such as Instacart use personal shoppers who visit local stores to purchase your purchase and then deliver it to your home or office. Others, such as Walmart Grocery, allow you to shop online and Which is Best For Online Grocery Shopping pickup your order at the designated location.

Thrive Market, another popular online grocery store, offers an array of natural and organic products that include pantry staples as well as cleaning supplies. Contrary to other grocery stores on the internet Thrive doesn't have a minimum order or flat delivery fees. It also provides a free membership that lets you test the service for up to two weeks prior to paying for it.

Smith's offers a convenient curbside grocery service for those who purchase government benefits. The service accepts EBT or SNAP cards. Select the store's location on your Smith's App, shop for your groceries, place your order and then choose the time of pickup. Once you arrive at your chosen location, park in your designated spot and dial a number to inform an associate that you're there. The associate will deliver your order to you at the parking lot.

5. Peapod

A pioneer in online grocery shopping, Peapod operates in 24 markets in the US. Customers can order and receive the delivery of groceries, pantry items fresh produce, deli products, meats, dairy, natural and organic foods, prepared meals, school and office items, personal care products and alcohol at certain markets. Customers can also pick up their items at more than 200 Peapod pickup points most of which are located inside brick-and-mortar stores owned by Ahold USA like Stop & Shop.

Peapod makes use of the data it gathers to identify brands and products that shoppers like, and allows them to recommend similar products. It also allows shoppers to look through all the items in their cart at a glance and then use filters to narrow results. And since shopping for groceries is a habit-driven activity, the Skokie-based company uses information to predict which is the best online supermarket products the shopper will buy, pushing those items toward the top of the list.

The company's service is based on its drivers, also known as brand Which is Best For Online Grocery Shopping ambassadors. "Food is inherently emotional," Bienkowski told Food Dive and being able to communicate with the person who brings customers their food makes the experience more enjoyable and practical. And unlike many online deliveries when customers see the driver with their groceries, they know that the order is in good hands.

As an early innovator of online grocery shopping, Peapod has invested in technology to keep up with its rivals. But it hasn't been able to make as much of a dent in the industry as other grocery delivery services, like Instacart and Amazon Fresh. However, the 28-year veteran of the online grocery delivery battles is working to boost its competitiveness by expanding its online shopping options. It has launched a new mobile experience that is based on the PRISM platform, which is proprietary to Ahold Delhaize USA, and its own websites.