Which is Best For Online Grocery Shopping?

Online grocers offer a wide range of quality products at prices that are cheaper than your local grocery store. To determine which is best, I tested several popular services to find ones that offer the best brands, a variety of products and fair prices with convenient delivery or pick-up option.

The key to shopping online is making a list and claiming a delivery timeslot before spots fill up. You'll also have to be flexible in your choices in relation to the availability of the products.

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 fulfilled by an individual shopper on a particular day. Instacart has a relationship with more than 1400 national, local and regional banners in North America to deliver products from 80,000+ locations. You can find membership-only stores like Costco or Sam's Club.

Instacart's costs include the $2.99 same-day delivery fee and an additional $3.99 service fee (plus tips for the shopper). The fees are similar to what you'd pay at the local grocery store. However, you won't need to drive or sit in a parking lot, or wait in a the line. Instacart offers a year-long membership for customers who shop at least 14 times per year. This will help you save money on delivery and service charges.

Hindert recommends that you conduct a price-shopping before adding items to your shopping cart if you are concerned about the expense of food items. Instacart allows you to include nutrition information and prices specific to your shopping list so that you can evaluate the costs and ingredients of the items in your cart. You can also use your Instacart app to create a "shoppable" shopping list that you can reuse for future grocery shopping trips.

Hindert believes that Instacart may not be the most efficient option for grocery shopping, since it could lead to buying impulse items. In addition the grocery delivery services don't always offer the same sales in stores that you can find at your local supermarket.

2. Amazon Grocery

With Amazon Grocery users can get their groceries delivered directly to their doorstep. The products come from local Amazon warehouses and can be delivered by the courier or left at a location that is supervised (where you have to be there to receive your order). The service offers same-day or next-day delivery. Amazon offers a wide variety of grocery products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meats and seafood packaged foods, frozen food and household items.

Amazon Grocery has become one of the most sought-after services for grocery shopping and with good reason. It has an attractive pricing structure, a wide variety of products, and a host of practical features that make it an excellent option for those looking to save time and money on grocery shopping. The service is also a great option for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Bishop of Brick Meets Click said that Amazon Grocery's focus is on daily food shopping and its reasonable price and its well-curated assortment puts it in direct competition against traditional supermarkets. "Grocers that don't stand out in these areas are more susceptible to Amazon Grocery," he added.

In order to encourage more frequent and larger grocery orders among its Prime members, Amazon has introduced a number of new perks, including unlimited grocery delivery. This will establish the company as a one-stop shop for many customers' daily needs.

Another method Amazon is attempting to attract customers to its stores for groceries is through its merchandising ideas. These include featuring local brands that were successful in its smaller 365 stores, like Rockenwagner Bakery and Groundworks Coffee. This gives shoppers a a more authentic experience at the supermarket and helps build loyalty.

3. Walmart

Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular due to hectic work schedules, family obligations and general dislike of crowds. From clothing to office supplies everything is easier when you click and ship. Now grocery shopping has joined the fun.

Online grocers are booming with many offering convenience, while others offer quality products at reasonable prices. Which one is best for you? To help you find the most effective grocery delivery service, we've reviewed the most popular options.

Instacart is a top online grocery service, connects you to personal shoppers who shop for you at local stores. It is accessible in over a thousand cities and can be an excellent option for shoppers who prefer 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 numerous markets, and its selection includes stores such as Food Lion, Kroger, Wegmans and Utp Booted Ethernet Cable Shop n Save. It offers bulk items as well, which is ideal for those who frequent the store to stock up on basic items.

Walmart is a well-known brand in the world of e-commerce for food items. You can place an order online and choose an appointment for pickup or delivery, then add your items to the virtual shopping cart. The site offers rollback discounts and a broad selection of products from produce to pantry essentials to personal care items. Walmart+ is a service that delivers groceries from local stores.

Thrive Market is an online grocery store that is a specialist in organic and non-GMO foods. The membership fee is $5 per month, billed annually, and it offers many different food items to select from, including fish, Vimeo meat and dairy. Thrive delivers for cardinal flapping wings chime free for orders over $35, and its selection includes healthy products for you and the planet.

4. Smith's

Online grocery shopping can be a lifesaver for many families who are busy. Not only can these services let you cut one weekly errand off your to-do list however, they can also aid in meal plan and budget. Not all online grocery stores offer the same services. If you're looking to find convenience, a variety of products or the best price, you must select the right option for your family.

Other online grocery stores also offer convenient delivery and pickup options. Some, like Instacart use personal shoppers who visit local stores to look for your order and then deliver it to your office or home. Walmart Grocery is one of the many options that allow you to shop online and pick up your purchase at the store you have chosen.

Thrive Market is another popular online grocery store that provides an extensive selection of natural and organic products. These include pantry staples, cleaning supplies and more. Contrary to other online grocers there is no order minimum or flat fee for delivery. It also has a free membership option that allows you to try the service for two weeks before deciding decide to pay for it.

Smith's offers a curbside grocery service for customers who are eligible for government benefits. The service accepts EBT or SNAP cards. To make use of this service, simply choose the store's location from your Smith's app then shop and make your purchase, then choose a time for pickup and a parking spot. When you arrive, pull into your parking spot and dial an number to inform the associate that you're there. The associate will carry your order to you in the 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 delivery of groceries, pantry items, fresh produce, deli items such as meats, dairy organic and natural food and prepared meals, office and school items, personal care products and alcohol at certain markets. Customers can also pick up orders at more than 200 Peapod pickup locations, most of which are connected to Ahold USA's brick and mortar stores such as Stop & Shop.

Peapod utilizes the information it collects to identify the brands and products that customers like, and allows them to recommend similar items. It also lets shoppers see all the items in their cart in a single glance and use filters to narrow the results. Because grocery shopping is a habit-driven practice, the Skokie company in Illinois utilizes data to predict the products a customer is likely to purchase and push these items to the top of the list.

The service is based around its drivers, which are also referred to as brand ambassadors. "Food is inherently emotional," Bienkowski told Food Dive and being able to interact with the person delivering customers their food makes the experience more enjoyable and practical. When customers are able to see their groceries delivered by the driver they are assured that their order is in safe hands.

Peapod as an early pioneer in online grocery shopping, has poured money in technology to ensure that it can stay competitive with its competitors. It hasn't made as much of an impact on the industry as other delivery services for groceries like Instacart or Amazon Fresh. The veteran of 28 years of the battle of online grocery stores is trying to improve its competitiveness by expanding its online offerings. It launched a new mobile experience that is based on the PRISM platform that is exclusive to Ahold Delhaize USA, and its own websites.