Online grocery shopping that works

Benefits of online grocery shopping 

• Saves time and energy: minimizes travel time, removes in-store navigation and checkout lines, reduces aimless browsing, allows for multi-tasking. 
• Saves money: minimizes trips to the store, reduces impulse purchases, allows for better price comparisons and a real-time running total, provides digital deals and coupons. 
• Supports food prep and dietary goals: supports intentional planning and shopping, allows for quick nutritional comparisons, reduces decision fatigue, supports consistency. 

Getting started 

Decide where you will do your online shopping. 

• Check inventory: Do the store and website offer similar items? Food prices: Are online prices the same as in-store? 
• Pick-up vs. delivery: What is available? What are the prices for these services? Are there minimum order requirements? 
• Nutrition: Can you easily view nutrition information for products online? Do the search and filter functions work well? 
• Personal shopper experience: Is a store employee or a third-party doing the shopping? What do reviewers say?

Decide when to place your online order.

Best practices for online grocery shopping 

• Use a list. Even if you aren’t going to the store, a list can still help you optimize your shopping. 
• Order online from your kitchen. This allows you to see what you have on hand and only order what you need. 
• Search instead of stroll. Use the search function to look for specific items instead of browsing through categories. 
• Pay attention to item weights and quantities. Don’t get stuck with one whole ham when you only wanted one pound of deli meat. 
• Build your digital cart over time. This allows you to to minimize impulse purchases and ensure your cart is complete. 
• Use sort and filter functions. This can help you quickly identify healthier or cheaper options. 
• Beware of the algorithm. 
  • Use the “buy it again” function with caution. 
  • Be skeptical with items that are “suggested for you.” 
  • Explore account settings and preferences in the website or app. 
  • Use a separate browser to do product research. 
• Use the substitutions function. 
  • If you are not open to a substitution, indicate that. 
  • If you are open to a substitution, pick a substitution preference if it is offered. 
  • Be sure you are set up to receive text/email updates about your order. Some stores offer real-time options to accept or reject a substitution. You can also see what was unavailable or substituted before pick-up or delivery.
• Add notes for your shopper. 
  • Use this to specify things such as “green bananas” or “check expiration date on yogurt.” 
• Do a quality check. 
  • If you pick-up your order, do a quick check of your order before driving off. This allows you to fix it right away  instead of having to go back to the store later. 
• Get a refund if you are not satisfied. 
  • If you receive unsatisfactory items, there is almost always a way to get a refund. Some stores offer a refund without returning the items, while others may require you to bring the items back to the store.