Home Grocery Delivery....

[Martin Fisher]

Discount Diva: I tried grocery delivery, and I'm never going back, The Buffalo News, September 3, 2017

 

Rosie...based in Ithaca, NY... which is an online shopping, same-day delivery, or in-store pickup system which has currently been adopted by 20+ stores across the country, including a small grocery store/butcher shop in my area, delivers for a reasonable fee.

 

Minier's Express

 

Last i checked:

• Deliveries within one mile: $3.99
• Deliveries of 1 - 2.9 miles: $4.99
• Deliveries of 3 - 4.9 miles: $6.99
• Deliveries of 5 - 6.9 miles: $7.99
• Deliveries beyond 7 miles in supported zip codes: $9.99

 

I'm about 9 miles from the store.

 

 

 

 

 

[Anna N]

 I am glad I have access to a grocery delivery service but I would give it up tomorrow for the ability to go grocery shopping in person whenever I felt like it. 

 

I am praying that Amazon.ca begins a grocery delivery in my area and perhaps the service I now deal with will:

 

 Improve its user unfriendly software for ordering online.

 

 Do a far better job of describing its products in a way that I can understand. 

 

Improve how it offers its meat products so that I can order a one and a half inch thick steak instead of knowing that I'm going to get something barely worth cooking. 

 

Oh I could go on and on but the bottom line is that it wouldn't take much to persuade me to move to a better service.  

 

 

[IowaDee]

We shop at a midwest chain called HyVee.  It is employee owned and has wonderful service.  They offer home delivery too.  I always see at least one "shopper" when we are there.  I notice how very, very carefully they examine each item before adding it to the cart.  They are at least as picky about fruits and veggies as I am.  Each apple, potato and onion get the picky housewife check.  I suspect it is the same way with meat selection.  

We don't have a lot of different grocery store to pick from, HyVee, Aldies and Fareway, but they are all good. Only Hyvee offers home delivery.   One day a week, they run a bus to pick up people who have no way to get to the store.  At a set time, they take them home again and carry in their groceries.  No charge for this service.  I don't know the details other than that, but what a great service it is.

I should add that these three stores are 25+miles from our house.  The only really local store will shop for you and have it bagged and ready to pick up.  But the quality leaves much to be desired and most of the meat looks downright scary.  We have an amazing butcher's shop here that more than makes up for that.

Edited September 4, 2017 by IowaDee
Because I can't stop blabbing I guess! (log)

[gfweb]

11 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

Discount Diva: I tried grocery delivery, and I'm never going back, The Buffalo News, September 3, 2017

 

Rosie...based in Ithaca, NY... which is an online shopping, same-day delivery, or in-store pickup system which has currently been adopted by 20+ stores across the country, including a small grocery store/butcher shop in my area, delivers for a reasonable fee.

 

Minier's Express

 

Last i checked:

• Deliveries within one mile: $3.99
• Deliveries of 1 - 2.9 miles: $4.99
• Deliveries of 3 - 4.9 miles: $6.99
• Deliveries of 5 - 6.9 miles: $7.99
• Deliveries beyond 7 miles in supported zip codes: $9.99

 

I'm about 9 miles from the store.

 

 

 

 

 

I read that article. Interesting. But not cheap. By my reckoning her $137 bill had $20 markup within it and a $6 delivery charge and then a tip. So she paid at least $35 extra.  If you do that twice a month ...which is conservative...that's an extra $840 per year 

 

If you are home-bound then it's a blessing , but at those prices it doesn't add up for most people I think. 

 

But amazon has market power and might well make it an affordable proposition. 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Food Lion offers delivery I think? I never see any professional shoppers in there that I can distinguish from just regular folks trying to find ingredients for dinner. When it first popped up on my radar, you could get much more information than you can now, as you are immediately challenged to sign in and give away all your personal info. The fee was only $5.00 then, but it seems to have escalated. Still a good service, if you do not need to indulge your vices, though. It would be worth it not to have to walk four miles to me in a heartbeat.

 

Turns out federal laws ban the delivery of cigarettes or alcohol. That is what made delivery a no go for me. My rarely available cigarettes are two miles away in one direction and vodka at the state liquor monopoly in the opposite direction. Both have access to groceries once I get myself there. Seniors aren't supposed to indulge, I reckon. Whateve's I'm really getting in pretty good shape for my advanced age. My glutes and quadriceps femoris are sometimes talking to me from carrying heavy loads, but at least I am still independent. My calves, feet and ankles seem to be holding up well, cramping a bit sometimes. I need to eat more potassium rich foods, probably. Screw their Puritan laws. 

 

My poor stricken husband's nursing home has issued a ban on smoking effective Sept. 12 unless you get someone to take you off the premises. He's desperate to escape, although he needs around the clock intensive personal care. They used to be able to smoke outside away from the building. Do not get old, or you will be treated like a child in a caregiver situation. I hope I go suddenly before then.

 

Walking will help, I think. I started doing a cadence in my head while walking to make the time pass. I've since looked up cadences, but did not really know the lyrics when it started spontaneously. I knew "I don't know, but I've been told" ... and made up "If you walk, you won't grow old!" There's a bunch of military cadences available on wikipedia, but I like mine better for my purposes. Like I've said before, I'm no poet, but this rythym in my head as I walk the four miles it takes to collect all the stuff I need is helpful to me.

 

I've even started going out much more often when weather allows for seltzer water. It takes four miles to bring back two or three 2-liter bottles depending on if you get anything else. This is my preferred mixer, and until recently, I hadn't had any since a hoarded bottle in May for my birthday. Now I go after it when weather allows. I'm sure I could get cases delivered, but the Puritan thing has really ticked me off and made me determined to just not use it. After all, they could responsibly deliver the verboten items with home delivery by asking for ID. I understand why they won't do it by mail to keep it away from kids.

[Martin Fisher]

7 hours ago, gfweb said:

Interesting. But not cheap.

 

Yes, it's certainly not cheap.

I'm pretty much home bound here when the housemate isn't available to haul me around as I have issues riding public transit.

The housemate's Jeep broke-down last Wednesday. He has AAA so it was towed to the dealer for 'free' but we had to take a taxi home.

The dealership is only 1.7 miles away but the street/highway isn't safe for walking or biking—there's no shoulder, plus there's all the idiots texting or talking on their smartphones while driving!

The taxi fee for the 1.7 mile trip $8.50!!!! I think that's outrageous! WAY too much for me to spend regularly!

Public transit isn't inexpensive either, $1.75 per boarding, and there would be a minimum of 4 (maybe 6) boardings to the grocery store and back.

Wegmans is only about 2 miles away as the crow flies, but it's not what I'd consider a safe bike route—and a lot of biking bothers my left knee and hips.

 

[quiet1]

16 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

I'm sure I could get cases delivered, but the Puritan thing has really ticked me off and made me determined to just not use it. After all, they could responsibly deliver the verboten items with home delivery by asking for ID. I understand why they won't do it by mail to keep it away from kids.

 

I wonder if it's about the age of their food shoppers and delivery people, too? If they're counting on using young people to do the shopping then presumably picking up alcohol and cigarettes could be an issue? I know I've lived places where underage cashiers had to hold everything up if someone came through with alcohol in their cart because they weren't even allowed to ring it up. They had to put the light on and call someone else over to run it through.

[bokreta]

19 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

Turns out federal laws ban the delivery of cigarettes or alcohol.

 

I'm pretty sure this isn't 100% accurate. 

 

This last spring I came down with a horrible cold much faster than usual, and I woke up in the morning absolutely miserable and realized I was lacking in any cold remedies (antihistimines, kleenex, chicken soup or the means to make any, etc), cat supplies (kibble or litter), or comfort beverages (lemon/ginger tea, whiskey for toddies).  I briefly considered going to the store myself, but I was SO miserable and SO clearly contagious that I was racking my brains for an alternate solution.

 

Turns out my past self had enrolled in Amazon Prime and Prime Now solved all my immediate issues.  I did have to show my ID (which used to be flattering but is now just silly) and sign for it in person, but I did get a fifth of whiskey delivered.  I didn't need cigarettes that weekend, so I can't speak to that. (I do smoke).

[Thanks for the Crepes]

34 minutes ago, bokreta said:

I'm pretty sure this isn't 100% accurate. 

 

You're probably right about the alcohol part being just my state where the liquor is tightly controlled by a state monopoly. I tried every way I could to get cigarettes delivered and because of federal law, the only way to accomplish that is have limited amounts imported. Many places that pretend to do that though, are scams. I researched before placing an order, and I'll bet the posters of all the complaints against these scam sites wish they had too. There seemed to be a few that were legit, but it still seemed to risky.

 

Back then a four mile hike seemed like a hundred miles. Now I'm doing it regularly and am almost certainly healthier and stronger for it. Still though, if I could get alcohol and smokes delivered, I would go for grocery delivery during bad weather at least.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Delivery of alcohol in the US is regulated by the state.  This power is granted by the 21st amendment:

 

"The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited."

 

For reasons, this clause is often on my mind.  However I have less sympathy for tobacco fiends as I seldom leave shards of my broken rum bottles on the sidewalk.

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

23 minutes ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

You're probably right about the alcohol part being just my state where the liquor is tightly controlled by a state monopoly. I tried every way I could to get cigarettes delivered and because of federal law, the only way to accomplish that is have limited amounts imported. Many places that pretend to do that though, are scams. I researched before placing an order, and I'll bet the posters of all the complaints against these scam sites wish they had too. There seemed to be a few that were legit, but it still seemed to risky.

 

Back then a four mile hike seemed like a hundred miles. Now I'm doing it regularly and am almost certainly healthier and stronger for it. Still though, if I could get alcohol and smokes delivered, I would go for grocery delivery during bad weather at least.

 

Will amazon deliver alcohol to your state?

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

36 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Will amazon deliver alcohol to your state?

 

 

I tried to find out, but they make you sign up for an Amazon account. I saw nothing about not shipping to NC before I got that far.

 

I kind of doubt it, though, since you can buy liquor NOWHERE else is this state except their ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission) stores. These are all closed on Sundays and range from basic but reasonable here in Cary, to one in Durham that you aren't allowed to even enter and the clerk delivers your selections from behind bullet-proof glass after receiving payment. As I recall there wasn't even an awning or portico over the window for bad weather. So customer friendliness is not exactly their first priority. I remember liquor stores in Tennessee that were privately owned and had soothing music, plush carpets, nice decor, helpful curators and quick chiller machines for wines, but they did not have a captive customer base. There's not a chance in a million this state will be getting involved with alcohol delivery service.

 

On the plus side you can buy wine and beer through private retailers and all grocery stores carry it. (Just researched and we still have some dry counties, although municipalities have the power to allow or disallow alcohol within counties, and that overrides the county's designation, but only within city limits.) So you see, alcohol is complicated in this state. When I first moved here, even finding liquor was a totally word of mouth thing. ABC store? What's that, kids' educational toys?  The state legislature even recently passed a law where municipalities or counties can allow restaurants to serve alcohol on Sundays for brunch before noon. Raleigh allows it starting at 10:00 AM. Not sure about Cary or Wake County, but if they haven't done it yet, I expect they will soon. So we are slowly catching up with the 20th century. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

42 minutes ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

I tried to find out, but they make you sign up for an Amazon account. I saw nothing about not shipping to NC before I got that far.

 

I kind of doubt it, though, since you can buy liquor NOWHERE else is this state except their ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission) stores. These are all closed on Sundays and range from basic but reasonable here in Cary, to one in Durham that you aren't allowed to even enter and the clerk delivers your selections from behind bullet-proof glass after receiving payment. As I recall there wasn't even an awning or portico over the window for bad weather. So customer friendliness is not exactly their first priority. I remember liquor stores in Tennessee that were privately owned and had soothing music, plush carpets, nice decor, helpful curators and quick chiller machines for wines, but they did not have a captive customer base. There's not a chance in a million this state will be getting involved with alcohol delivery service.

 

On the plus side you can buy wine and beer through private retailers and all grocery stores carry it. (Just researched and we still have some dry counties, although municipalities have the power to allow or disallow alcohol within counties, and that overrides the county's designation, but only within city limits.) So you see, alcohol is complicated in this state. When I first moved here, even finding liquor was a totally word of mouth thing. ABC store? What's that, kids' educational toys?  The state legislature even recently passed a law where municipalities or counties can allow restaurants to serve alcohol on Sundays for brunch before noon. Raleigh allows it starting at 10:00 AM. Not sure about Cary or Wake County, but if they haven't done it yet, I expect they will soon. So we are slowly catching up with the 20th century. 

 

I grew up in Pennsylvania which has a state monopoly and very bad wine advice.  New Jersey has strange laws, but not as bad as some.

 

[Martin Fisher]

3 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I grew up in Pennsylvania which has a state monopoly and very bad wine advice.  New Jersey has strange laws, but not as bad as some.

 

Yes.
I was born in 'wonderful' New York state but I grew up in north-central Pennsylvania in a 'dry' and still 'dry' township.
The area where I live, more or less, straddles the state border(s.)
The family farm and my father's and step-mother's property in Pennsylvania literally butt up against New York state.
No sale of wine in New York State grocery stores—stupid politics—which really irks me!!! 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

51 minutes ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

stupid politics—which really irks me!!! 

 

I can totally relate!

 

I turned my anger over stupid politics into something healthy for me. I hope you can do so too. Start out slowly. Anger can sure be a powerful motivator. Absolutely nothing else would have made me start walking two miles one way unloaded and then two miles back heavily loaded with all I am able to carry, which turns out to be only twenty or twenty-five pounds or so, for that distance, so far. It's been a positive outcome, though. The heck with the craziness. I'll ignore it and work around it, as usual. 

 

Also, I am with Anna N. The independent freedom of being able to select your own supplies can't be beat. I love getting myself to the stores, perusing stuff on sale, and wandering the aisles with no one looking over my shoulder or holding me to their schedule. It is just absolutely priceless.

 

Still though, if it were possible, when it rains for five days in a row or we are under heat advisory for same, the delivery service looks quite tempting. I can walk in the cold coming up this winter, although I don't like it. We are looking at fall weather, with cooler days and lower humidity that will make packing groceries very tolerable.

 

I have to be very cognizant of the weather these days so I don't get caught short. I'm coming up on the season where this will be much easier and all I need to look out for is rain. No human can walk four miles in a heat advisory with 80+% humidity. Not if they want to live, anyway. Even anger will carry you just so far. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On ‎9‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 0:56 AM, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

I tried to find out, but they make you sign up for an Amazon account. I saw nothing about not shipping to NC before I got that far.

 

I kind of doubt it, though, since you can buy liquor NOWHERE else is this state except their ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission) stores. These are all closed on Sundays and range from basic but reasonable here in Cary, to one in Durham that you aren't allowed to even enter and the clerk delivers your selections from behind bullet-proof glass after receiving payment. As I recall there wasn't even an awning or portico over the window for bad weather. So customer friendliness is not exactly their first priority. I remember liquor stores in Tennessee that were privately owned and had soothing music, plush carpets, nice decor, helpful curators and quick chiller machines for wines, but they did not have a captive customer base. There's not a chance in a million this state will be getting involved with alcohol delivery service.

 

On the plus side you can buy wine and beer through private retailers and all grocery stores carry it. (Just researched and we still have some dry counties, although municipalities have the power to allow or disallow alcohol within counties, and that overrides the county's designation, but only within city limits.) So you see, alcohol is complicated in this state. When I first moved here, even finding liquor was a totally word of mouth thing. ABC store? What's that, kids' educational toys?  The state legislature even recently passed a law where municipalities or counties can allow restaurants to serve alcohol on Sundays for brunch before noon. Raleigh allows it starting at 10:00 AM. Not sure about Cary or Wake County, but if they haven't done it yet, I expect they will soon. So we are slowly catching up with the 20th century. 

 

It looks like amazon will ship over 3000 wines to NC vs only 986 to NJ.

 

[MetsFan5]

I use Drizly (it's an app) and can get alcohol delivered in less than an hour. Instacart is available to me and will delivery groceries from Wegman's, Whole Foods and even CVS in less than an hour. I've yet to try them as I already use Peapod for my home grocery deliveries and Amazon Pantry for my bulk items. 

[Anna N]

 I can get a limited selection of wine or beer delivered with my groceries. All of them are out of my normal price range. They can only be ordered with groceries exceeding $50 and they can only be delivered during the same hours that our LCBO is open. 

 

Wine in boxes?   Forget about it.  Cheaper brands of beer?   Dream on. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

My alcohol was delivered today...on my back.

 

[MetsFan5]

@JoNorvelleWalker Drizly may deliver to you. I live in Northern NJ. 

[blue_dolphin]

Not sure if this is the best place for this but here goes.... I know there has been discussion in various threads about grocery delivery and mentions of Instacart and how they treat their shoppers (not well).  

 

I saw this article, A smaller competitor to Instacart is a better deal for shoppers, in the LA Times about a different app called Dumpling.  That particular article is more about the shopper side of the business but I found the model appealing. 

I still haven't needed to use any grocery delivery services but if I do, I quite like the idea of being able to establish a relationship with an individual who's motivated to keep my business. 

 

Not sure how widespread their services are but I found several shoppers in my area.   Has anyone used Dumpling?

[heidih]

I can report that Instacart shoppers do get to know ya. I have posted before about some wow  experiences. Absolutely not an ideal business plan. My connected ones text me pics of sensible versus the app subs and today showed how crappy the onions looked so we agreed - nope. The customized tipping reportedly works.

Edited June 13, 2020 by heidih (log)

[blue_dolphin]

In the LA Times this morning: Instacart shoppers say they face unforgiving metrics: ‘It’s a very easy job to lose’ 

This statement rang true with me:

Quote

It’s not easy to navigate a grocery store under a tight deadline — as anyone who has viewed “Supermarket Sweep,” a recently revived game show, can attest. Some in-store shoppers, including Jonathan McNelis, say it’s not a far cry from their job.

“You can literally feel the pressure of time counting down as you are shopping, trying to weave through the aisles,” he said.

 

I stopped into Whole Foods the other day for the first time in ages.  I only wanted blue cheese and bread to go with the fresh figs that I'd just picked up at the farmers market.  I felt like I was the only person in the store purchasing my own groceries.  The vast majority of other shoppers were....well....shoppers 🙃.  Shoppers for Instacart, or other services.  There was a bit of gridlock near the meat counter as shoppers were using carts to maintain their place in line while running off for other items.  I powered my way through but after reading how these shoppers are penalized for taking too many seconds per item, I'll try to be more gracious next time! 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

In the LA Times this morning: Instacart shoppers say they face unforgiving metrics: ‘It’s a very easy job to lose’ 

This statement rang true with me:

 

I stopped into Whole Foods the other day for the first time in ages.  I only wanted blue cheese and bread to go with the fresh figs that I'd just picked up at the farmers market.  I felt like I was the only person in the store purchasing my own groceries.  The vast majority of other shoppers were....well....shoppers 🙃.  Shoppers for Instacart, or other services.  There was a bit of gridlock near the meat counter as shoppers were using carts to maintain their place in line while running off for other items.  I powered my way through but after reading how these shoppers are penalized for taking too many seconds per item, I'll try to be more gracious next time! 

 

Why would Whole Foods customers be using shopping services other than Whole Foods?

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

After weekly orders at the beginning of Covid, we began to shop for ourselves at the beginning of last summer.    I recently received an email crediting my account with a substantial amount to be used over three orders over the next four weeks.    I debated its utility considering the efficiency and economy of our current shopping.    But then said, what the heck.    I went on a tear, ordering luxury products I don't normal "afford": St. Benoitt milk and yogurt, Vital pastured eggs, Straus creamery butter, then threw in an organic chicken and some prime tomatoes.  

 

I doubt my order(s) fit the service's model or expectation, but it's a nice incentive.    The credit paid for delivery, tip and half the "plus over normal" I spent for these items.