Where free delivery isn’t available on orders of a certain size, delivery fees usually come in under $10 per order with some notable exceptions. Order minimums typically range from $0 to $60 but can be higher. Grocery store delivery services often come with added costs and considerations – namely, delivery fees, service fees, and minimum purchase requirements. And online-only deals and bonuses may be available, as well, so search for those before checking out. But since prices and specials often vary from store to store, they’re not always identical. Item pricing for grocery store delivery services is usually within the in-store price range in the customer’s geographical area. For instance, Price Cutter’s Springfield and Joplin stores collect pickup orders for residents outside the delivery area. However, if they don’t deliver in outlying areas, they may also offer the option to pick up in-store. Grocery store delivery services almost always offer the option to deliver direct to customers’ doorsteps, eliminating the need to visit the store. Ditto for superstores like Walmart and Target (which owns Shipt, a rapidly growing grocery delivery service that also delivers for major retailers like Meijer, H-E-B, CVS, and Petco). Warehouse club stores like Costco may offer grocery delivery as well, although they also deliver many nonperishable and durable goods you can’t find in a regular grocery store. For instance, Price Cutter delivers across a broad swathe of southwestern Missouri, including many small towns. Grocery delivery is available from many smaller supermarket companies, as well. For instance, Safeway, a major grocery chain popular in the western United States, offers online ordering and grocery delivery in many major cities within its trade area, while Instacart offers delivery from many different grocery chains all across the country. Many supermarket companies are in the home grocery delivery business. Nor should you confuse home grocery delivery services with meal kit delivery services like Blue Apron, which curate self-contained meals for customers to prepare at home. After all, you can’t just flag down the Safeway semi on the interstate and grab a bag of lettuce off the back. What They’re Notĭon’t confuse home grocery delivery services with the logistical networks that transport food and dry goods from suppliers to central warehouses, and then to grocery stores and supermarkets. Each may also have different costs compared to shopping at a traditional supermarket, though these are subject to change depending on the specific service you’re using, where you live, and what you buy. Each service has its own answer to the question of how to get groceries and household goods to customers quickly, safely, and affordably. Grocery delivery services are not homogeneous. Unless you’re ordering restricted items such as alcohol or tobacco, or you live in an apartment building without a sheltered or private area to leave deliveries, you generally don’t have to be home to accept delivery. Generally, refrigerated trucks, coolers, and freezer bags are used to keep fresh or temperature-sensitive items like produce, meat, dairy, and frozen items cold.
Virtually all grocery delivery services allow you to order and pay for your shipments online. For $79 (or just $1.52 per week), join more than 1 million members and don't miss their upcoming stock picks. Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendations have an average return of 372%. What Are Home Grocery Delivery Services?Ī home grocery delivery service is exactly what it sounds like: a means for delivering groceries to consumers, either directly to their homes or to a central pickup location. And the elderly and those with health conditions may have trouble getting out to the supermarket.įor the busy, the car-free, the infirm, and anyone else without the inclination to visit the supermarket on a regular basis, home grocery delivery is a fast, convenient, affordable solution. Those living without cars are limited in what they can carry home. I know not everyone has time to visit their local co-op or grocery store and shop for the week. I’m a member and frequent shopper at my local food co-op, so it feels a bit off-brand to be talking up an entirely different method of purchasing groceries: home grocery delivery services like Instacart(and Instacart Express), FreshDirect, Amazon Fresh (which leverages the Whole Foods network), and store-sponsored options.īut I’m also a realist.