Beech Tree News Network

Lately I’ve been thinking that grocery shopping isn’t the task that it used to be. Since we have multiple options for getting grocery items into our homes, shopping doesn’t look the same as it did a decade ago. For example, I order my mom’s groceries online, my brother-in-law (who lives closer to her and is a kind-hearted man) completes the pickup and takes the items to my mom, while other items may be delivered by a carrier to her front porch. We do this every two weeks, and it has worked well. A decade ago, we would not have had so many helpful options.

Wondering how others shop for groceries, I asked friends and family: “Do you ever use grocery pickup or delivery services? If so, how do you blend your methods of grocery shopping?” Their responses are listed below.

-I do both. It just depends on what my week looks like and what groceries I need to get.

-I do grocery pickup when I have a big order. If I just need items for one meal, I actually shop in store.

-Yes! I use pickup weekly and have for the last five years. The last two weeks I have had to use delivery instead, since we had appointments that interfered with the available pickup times, but I do prefer pickup. It is usually really convenient because I have a pretty steady routine for weekly errands. I rarely actually go in a regular grocery store anymore. We do have to go inside for groceries at Costco, which we do about once a month, and I will occasionally go in for produce to make sure it’s fresh, or for something random I didn’t get on my weekly pickup order.

-Currently, we only use grocery pickup if we are sick.

-I’ve never used that service.

-I do, and I love it! When I’m ordering for the week, I use it, and if I just need a few items, I go into the store.

-Yes, I use pickup for the most part. There are times when I go to the grocery and shop. If I need to stop and pick up some things or I did not take the time to shop online, then I go into the store to shop.

-Yes! If I call it in or have it delivered, I tend to spend less money. And it’s so convenient!

-Yes. I use Walmart pickup, Sam’s Club pickup, and Amazon delivery. I buy bulk items at Amazon and Sam’s. I also go to a small grocery (Rouses) for mid-week shopping in person.

-I use Walmart pickup and Kroger delivery. I love them most of the time. Some people who do the actual shopping aren’t very good at picking vegetables or fruit, but other than that, I really enjoy using the services. I rarely go into a store unless I just need some milk or a single item. 

-I do grocery pickup twice monthly at Kroger and Walmart. Delivery isn’t available for us. I keep a running grocery list for two weeks in the apps, so I don’t forget anything. Then, I shop Kroger’s sales ad to see where my items are cheaper. I adjust my lists according to the cheaper price.

-If I am going to be in Bowling Green on a weekend, I will do a Kroger pick up. If not, I do a Walmart delivery. I love having the option of delivery and pickup because I feel like I make much more targeted choices of groceries and save money.

-I enjoy the grocery pickup services and have used Walmart, Kroger, and Meijer stores. It saves so much time and keeps the impulse buys lower. I have had mostly good experiences with it. When life is busy, it really comes in handy.

-I tried grocery pickup with three separate vendors and was dissatisfied with replacement or not available items. Then again, I’m a bit picky in my choices anyway. I’ve seen too many grocery deliveries left on the sidewalk to ever pick that route (from two vendors). Not that I would schedule a delivery when not at home.

-For Walmart, I only use grocery delivery and pick up. I think I’ve only been inside an actual store maybe ten times in the last four years. Sometimes I have two or more deliveries a week, but always at least one. For Sam’s and Kroger and other shopping places, I still go in, but not as often, maybe once every couple of months. I would never want to go back to pre- delivery and pick up!

-So far, I have refused grocery pickup and delivery. I like to pick out my own produce, and I am a bargain shopper. Also, it is kind of my retail therapy and helps me burn some of my extra time.

-I use all the grocery shopping methods, and I keep a running grocery list. Once a month, I schedule a large Walmart pickup order and within the month may schedule a smaller delivery. I also have many things delivered by Amazon. I like to go into our local groceries for meat, produce, and random items like another gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, or a specific recipe ingredient.

English author Arnold Bennett said, “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” That is true of grocery shopping changes. The convenience of pickup and delivery services may come with the inconvenience of human error. However, the time-saving factor seems to be winning.