Which is Best For Online Grocery Shopping?

Online grocers offer a wide selection of high-quality products at prices that could be cheaper than your local grocery store. I compared several popular services to find out which one is the most efficient. I searched for ones that provide a variety of products, top brands, and fair prices, as well as a convenient option for delivery or pick-up.

Shopping online is all about planning your list and claiming your delivery time slot before it is filled up. You'll also need to be prepared to make changes according to availability.

1. Instacart

This online grocery delivery service allows you to order through an app on your mobile or a website, creating a virtual cart that is then fulfilled by a personal shopper on a specific day. Instacart collaborates with more than 1,400 national regional, local, and national retail banners to deliver groceries from 80,000+ stores across North America. You can find membership-only stores, such as Costco or Sam's Club.

Instacart's charges include the $2.99 same-day delivery fee and an additional $3.99 service fee (plus tips for the shopper). These charges are similar to those associated with ordering at your regular grocery store, but you don't have to be concerned about parking, driving, and waiting in line to pay. In addition when you shop with Instacart at minimum 14 times a year you can sign-up for an annual Instacartmembership and save money on delivery and service charges.

If you're concerned about grocery costs, consider price-shopping prior to adding items into your cart. Instacart allows you to add nutrition information and prices specific to your list to allow you to evaluate the costs and ingredients of the items in your cart. It's also possible to make use of your Instacart app to create an "shoppable" shopping list that you can reuse for future grocery trips.

However, Hindert points out that using Instacart to purchase groceries might not be as effective as shopping yourself since it can result in purchase impulses. Moreover, grocery delivery services don't always offer the same sales in stores that you'd discover at your local grocery store.

2. Amazon Grocery

Amazon Grocery allows individuals to get their groceries delivered right to their doorstep. The products come from local Amazon warehouses and can be collected by an individual courier or dropped off at an attended location (where you must be there to receive your order). The service is available for same-day or next-day delivery. Amazon has a broad selection of grocery items including fresh produce, dairy seafood, meat and other frozen food, packaged goods, and household products.

Amazon Grocery has become one of the most sought-after services for grocery shopping, and with good reason. It offers a competitive pricing structure, a wide selection, and practical features that make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to save time and money on grocery shopping. It's also a great choice for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Its focus on the weekly grocery shopping trip, the affordable price point and curated selection put it in direct competition with traditional supermarkets, Brick Meets Click's Bishop stated. "Grocers who don't standout in these categories are more susceptible to Amazon Grocery," Bishop added.

Amazon has introduced new perks to help Prime members to place larger and more frequent grocery purchases. One of them is a free grocery delivery. This will help position the company as a one-stop shop for many customers' daily requirements.

Another way Amazon is attempting to draw customers to its stores for groceries is through its merchandising ideas. These include featuring local brands that have been successful in its smaller 365 stores like Rockenwagner Bakery and Groundworks Coffee. This provides customers with a more authentic grocery experience and makes it easy to build loyalty.

3. Walmart

Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular due to busy work schedules, family obligations, and general dislike of crowds. Click and ship makes everything simpler for everything from clothes to office equipment. Now the grocery store is becoming a part of the fun.

Online grocers are booming with many offering convenience and others providing high-quality products at affordable prices. But which one is right for you? We've rounded-up the top grocery delivery services to help you select the best option for you.

Instacart, a leading online grocery service provides you with personal shoppers who will shop for you at local stores. It is accessible in a multitude of cities and can be an excellent option for shoppers who like to shop at the chain supermarkets but also wish to benefit from discounts at wholesalers such as Costco and Aldi. Instacart provides same-day delivery to several markets, and its selection includes stores such as Food Lion, Kroger, Wegmans and Shop n Save. It even has an option for bulk items which is ideal for those who regularly go to the supermarket to stock up on staples.

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

Thrive Market is an online grocery store that is a specialist in organic and non-GMO products. Its membership costs $5 per month, billed annually, and it offers an array of foods to select from, including meat, fish and dairy. Thrive provides free delivery on orders of more than $35, and the menu includes healthy items for both you and the environment.

4. Smith's

Online grocery shopping services can be a lifesaver for many busy families. These services can help you not just take one chore per week off your list, but also to make plans for meals and budget. However not all online grocery stores are equal. If you're looking for convenience, a broad selection of products, or the most affordable price, it's important to select the best service for your family.

In addition to Smith's, several other online grocery stores offer convenient delivery and pick-up options. Instacart is one of the online shopping sites with free international shipping grocery stores which allows personal shoppers to shop at local stores and then deliver your order to your home or workplace. Others, like Walmart Grocery, allow you to shop online, and then pick up your order at an agreed-upon location.

Thrive Market, another popular online grocery store, offers a variety of natural and organic products such as pantry staples and cleaning supplies. Unlike other online grocers, Thrive does not have an minimum order requirement or a flat rate for delivery. Additionally, it offers a free membership option that allows you to try the service for two weeks before you decide to sign up for the service.

Smith's offers a curbside grocery service for shoppers who use government benefits. The service accepts EBT or SNAP cards. Select the store location in your Smith's App shop for your groceries, place your order and then select a pickup time. 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 then deliver your order to you in parking lot.

5. Peapod

Peapod is an innovator in online grocery shopping. It is present in 24 US markets. Customers can place orders and receive the delivery of pantry items, groceries fresh produce, deli products such as meats, dairy, natural and which is best for online grocery shopping organic foods as well as prepared meals, office and school items, personal care products and alcohol in specific markets. Customers can also pick up their purchases at over 200 Peapod pickup points, many of which are located in brick-and-mortar shops operated by Ahold USA like Stop & Shop.

Peapod utilizes data to determine the brands that are popular with shoppers and items which allows the online retailer to recommend similar products. The system lets shoppers view all items in their shopping carts at once and make use of search filters to narrow down results. Since shopping for groceries is a habit-driven activity the Skokie company in Illinois utilizes data to predict the products the shopper would buy and push these items to the top of the list.

Its drivers, who are referred to as brand ambassadors, are an essential component of the service. Bienkowski told Food Dive that food is an emotional experience. Being able to communicate directly with the person delivering the order makes it more enjoyable and convenient. When customers see their food items delivered by the driver, they know that their purchase is in good hands.

As an early pioneer of online grocery shopping, Peapod has invested in technology to remain competitive against its rivals. Peapod hasn't had as much of an impact on the market as other grocery-delivery services like Instacart or Amazon Fresh. But the 28-year veteran of the online grocery delivery wars is working to boost its competitiveness by expanding its offerings on e-commerce. It recently launched a brand new mobile shopping experience based on its own PRISM platform at its own websites, as well as the sites of its parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA.