The Benefits of Grocery Shopping Online (and One Big Drawback)

by Shaunna Privratsky

The Benefits of Grocery Shopping Online photo

Harness the power of technology to fill your fridge without leaving home. If you haven’t tried online grocery shopping and delivery, give it a try. You’ll be surprised how easy it is. Just be aware of the one big drawback.

The retail market has been suffering huge hits from the influx of online shopping. It’s been going on for years but has gained huge momentum during the pandemic and many folks never went back to the stores.

Hundreds of companies have had to close their doors because they couldn’t keep up with the online demands of their customers. Now, this applies to grocery stores, too.

I first tried buying my groceries online due to some medical issues with my husband. I found myself unable to leave the house. With the refrigerator and cupboards starting to look alarmingly bare, I went online and discovered an easy way to get groceries without leaving home.

What Do You Not Like About Grocery Shopping?

Grocery shopping is probably not high on someone’s list of fun things to do.

There are the lists to make, coupons to find, long lines to check out, groceries to cart to your vehicle and unload when you get home, and then the main ingredient you forgot for dinner tonight!

What if you could make grocery shopping easy and almost fun?

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My Online Grocery Shopping Experience

With nothing to lose, I searched for the items I needed and placed my first order. I found that it was not always the sale items that popped up first, so I kept trying until I got the ones that were on sale.

It helps if you have the sale ad handy, along with any coupons you want to use. (See How To Read Your Grocery Ad Like an Insider.)

Once I checked out, I received an order confirmation and a confirmation of the delivery window I requested.

When the van arrived, the driver brought all of my groceries right to the front door and placed them inside so I could quickly check everything. I also gave him the coupons I had used. Everything was perfect, and I put everything away in record time.

The ease and convenience was amazing. It was almost too easy! It could quickly become addicting. Even after my first free three orders, the fee is very affordable. Considering the time and gas to get there and the hassle of a normal shopping trip, that seems a relatively small price to pay.

3 Benefits of Grocery Shopping Online

I realized three big advantages from my online grocery shopping experience.

First, I realized I could shop from the comfort of my own home at any time of the day or night.

I also found that online shopping saves a lot of time that would otherwise be spent driving to the store, looking for items and waiting in check-out lines.

Finally, online shopping helps me stick to my shopping list and budget more strictly because I’m not walking through the store tossing budget-busting impulse purchases into my cart.

Another bonus for grocery stores that allow online shopping and delivery is the additional jobs it creates. They need more clerks to do the shopping and fill the orders and drivers to deliver the items. Anyone who wanted to earn some extra money could get paid to shop.

The Big Drawback to Online Grocery Shopping

So, what is the downside to online grocery shopping?

Most items will cost more online than they are priced in-store. This may not be true of all grocers, but if you shop through Instacart for grocery delivery, you will pay more.

If your budget is tight and you have nothing stopping you from going to the store other than a preference to stay home, you should probably continue to do your shopping at the store.

Most Grocers Now Offer Online Shopping and Delivery

I realize that online grocery shopping is nothing new. Amazon has been around for ages and Walmart upped their game with online orders and deliveries.

Yet Walmart’s return policy and customer service leave quite a bit to be desired, and I have not had much luck with Amazon. Shopping with a trusted neighborhood grocery store seems nicer and the prices can’t be beat.

Harness the Power of Technology To Fill Your Fridge Without Leaving Home

We all need to eat and grocery shopping is a part of that. If getting to the store is a struggle for you and you have never considered online shopping and delivery, give it a try. It will save you time and all the headaches of going to the grocery store.

Reviewed December 2023