My Adventure of Online Grocery Shopping!
Well....I did it!
I placed my very first online grocery order for delivery. I know....Look at me stepping into the future...🍍🍞🍕
Here I sat on Sunday afternoon, in my comfy chair, looking at the Walmart grocery website. I was so happy that I had finally figured out how to add items into my cart.
No parking lot...No buggy with bad wheels...No using 14 wipes to make sure that the buggy didn't have germs on it.
It was almost too easy and the kicker?? My groceries were delivered in TWO hours. I was very impressed and I even felt like I was a part of the shopping team.
But then.....
Reality pulled up right along with those grocery bags.
First little surprise.....12 items were out of stock. TWELVE? Apparently half of what I eat was missing from the shelves that day. I did get polite little messages asking if I wanted substitutions. I said No.
Then came lesson #1: Pictures do not always match what you get. What I thought was a big, family sized bag of frozen vegetables turned out to be what I'd call a "personal snack pack." Two servings!!
Lesson #2: Never...and I mean never, buy fresh produce online.
My bag of four oranges? Two went straight to the trash. Not "I'll cut around it" bad, No...they were just bad. I am a firm believer in inspecting my fruit like I would if I were judging it for the county fair. My shopping person failed me on this!
These lessons gave me some questions to ponder.
You start to wonder, do folks pulling your order even look at what they're placing in your bags? Are they shopping with one eye closed? Do they do a little juggling with the products they are filling your order with?
Seriously, one of my canned goods was bent way more than what you would call slightly damaged. It was full force DAMAGED. Would I have chosen this myself...No, I would have said it needs to go in the trash.
Another detail that I learned. You are charged for what you order immediately. The items that are not in stock? It can take up to 10 days to see that credit back in your account. Not the end of the world, but worth knowing for sure.
Now don't get me wrong.. The convenience was definitely there. Groceries on my porch in two hours while I'm still in my pajamas...this I did like.
All of this came with a few lessons, a couple of bruised oranges and a bent can that looked like it was trying to curtsy a queen. These things are just humble reminders that sometimes doing it yourself still has its perks.
Will I do it again? 🤔
Modern convenience is wonderful ... until it isn't.
Shug.... 🛒
I never shop in my pajamas. There is not enough room for all the groceries and they slip down the trouser legs!.
ReplyDeleteAs for online shopping. I agree with you 100%. It is convenient - yes. But I hate substitutions - bacon is not a substitute for ham. Some of the people doing the shopping for you do not know how to substitute. Two packets of 25 grams each are no substitute for one packet of 100 grams. Especially when the two packs cost way more than the 100 gram one.
Also I agree about not buying fresh food like lettuces, fruits and vegetables. And I jate receiving bent tins.
God bless.
Oh Victor...you best not shop in your Pj's.. I'll have to really think this out before I do online grocery shopping again. We shall see.
DeleteOh Shug. I don't think I'd order online again, unless I was really sick. Loved your expression of the can doing a curtsy to the queen. That made me burst out laughing. Well, at least you got some of the items. You are very humorous. Thanks for all your visits to Writing Straight from the Heart. I just love when you visit. Have a super day today. Hugs. Susan
ReplyDeleteI find the service depends on the supplier - some are less reliable than others. There's lots of competition in UK, where I live, at least, so every supplier needs to prove itself.
ReplyDeleteWe did shop online during Covid, Shug, but we absolutely hated it then because of some of the same issues you described here. It's best to go in person so you can decide what you will and won't buy. The seemingly convenient way doesn't always end up being convenient. Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteI do an online grocery order most weeks and I have for years! I wouldn't manage without it as the nearest supermarket is a bus ride away and to get a weekly food shop would mean getting a taxi home.
ReplyDeleteI have got used to things being out of stock and some of the substitutions I have got over the years have been funny, like steak pies instead of chocolate pudding and I remember ordering a tub of ice cream thinking it would last weeks but it was one portion worth. lol
I inspect my fruit and veg while the delivery driver is still here and if it's slightly bad I complain and will get a refund. I have found I only buy what I need when I online shop, if I was in the store I would be buying all the sweet treats and things I hadn't budgeted for.
Congrats!! I have been struggling with this myself! On our grocery store's website, I cannot even find the delivery option! Guess I will have to ask my daughter-in-law or friend. Seems everyone else is doing it. Your suggestions are so good. I would never have fresh veg or raw meat delivered to me. These are things we need to choose ourselves. One thing I have been noticing in the different stores. I watch the delivery shoppers with their two layered carts and notice which stores have shoppers who are really careful finning the orders. There is also a different delivery charge depending on the store.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing online shopping for some time. We have Meijer near us and if you have over 15 items, they will shop for free. I order online and they get it, but I pick it up. I've had no issues, even with produce! However, I hear you on sizes. I've gotten huge cans of things when I thought I was getting regular size.
ReplyDeleteI think the outcome all depends on which store you use.
Shug, first off...I LOVE your new header and look for today!! Also...grocery pick up and delivery...I was so reluctant to ever do pick up...until Covid. My DIL had done it for quite some time (lots of babies in the car) and she convinced me to do it. I felt so guilty making someone else do for me what I could do for myself. Until I tried it and then I was hooked. Eventually I tried delivery a few times and here was my experience: random drivers kind of freaked me out. There were a few shady looking characters. But this one time it was a man, probably in his late 60's. He left me all kinds of groceries that weren't mine (plus those that were mine). By the time I unbagged it all and realized that much of it I never ordered, he was long gone. I had to call the 1-800 number and they told me to keep it all. What? What did that mean for the next family that would see the man pull up in their driveway and not have their groceries? I actually felt bad for the delivery man! Either his wife put him up to this or he needed the extra money and there he had gone and delivered the groceries to the wrong house. After a few times, I decided to just do the picking up myself. And yes! The size can fool you! I've ordered huge bags of stuff, when I only needed the 2 portion! :) hahaha modern conveniences :)
ReplyDeleteYour experience confirms the impression I pretty much already had. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on this !!! I have watched the people that get the products for delivery in our Walmart. Some truly get it and shop like they are shopping for themselves but so many are young and male..sorry... and they just don't get it. They probably haven't ever shopped for themselves and think oh well that will be ok.
ReplyDeleteI never buy produce from them either. It seems they just grab the first thing in the bin.
Didn't know about still being charged when things aren't available. That one is scary to me.I only want to pay for what I get.
Love the picture of the cart..why are so many that way???
By the way I love your new border and background. Its so YOU.
Love you friend and this is a great post today.
Sue