Let’s Compare Grocery Delivery services. Take a closer look at pros and cons of grocery delivery. Sharing grocery delivery service experiences from a national delivery service and a local delivery service. The goal is to help you determine if grocery delivery is for you.
Less Time for Shopping
My grocery delivery experiences have been with on Amazon Pantry versus Albertson’s. I started out as a regular Amazon customer. I didn’t order very often at first. Then I came to realize, my time had demands. There was so much going on with my family that getting away to do shopping was challenging at best. Then, when I didn’t find what I was looking for in one place, the goose chase was on with no time to chase!
Online Shopping
I began to utilize the convenience of Amazon shopping. Tried E-bay and a couple others too. But really, I didn’t have time to sit there and watch for bids. I felt skeptical of always relying on some random Joe Blow to send me the product I sought and bought. I liked, and still do, the ease of one-stop shopping with Amazon. To be clear, Amazon doesn’t have everything. I continue to shop other places online. (I invite you to also shop at Madhatter’s Magnificent Market — see what you find)!
Prime Membership
A great advancement happened. Amazon started offering Prime Membership. That made it even better! Especially for the holidays. I despise getting out in the freezing cold weather elements. Nowhere are you finding me negotiating slippery black ice or broken snow floor roads as a choice because I feel like shopping for fun. Necessity is the only way I choose to leave my warm home during the coldest of seasons. Besides, more than that, I dread the crowds.
I am NOT the person lined up with hundreds more anxiously waiting to brawl over the hottest toys and deals on Black Friday. Nope, No sirreee! I proudly sit home ordering my holiday gifts for sharing. My toes are cozy warm in slipper socks, I have my bottle of fine wine, a good book or movie available and pleasantly wait for my guaranteed Prime Membership 2-day delivery.
A Reason to Order Delivery
The Dooming Incident
All was fine except one evening, while I was walking, I forgot to pay attention where I was walking. Shuffling along, I hit a spot on the road where pavement of a sidewalk, asphalt from the road and dirt that didn’t get covered all met. Three different surfaces, three different height levels within minimal change and no seamless transition. I caught the tip of my Birkenstock and started an unintended forward momentum. Fortunately, I didn’t have much of an audience. But to be fair, I was giving my best impression of Fred Flinstone driving a rock-mobile with feet for tires.
I attempted to stop by reaching out my hand and catching my fall. I fell anyway. It took a few rolls and scoots to get back to the paved sidewalk area. Gratefully, I lacked an audience of incoming/outgoing traffic also because it was at the end of a road with options to travel left or right (south or north, in this case).
My Pride
This was my first major injury of my entire life. Aside from a few broken toes which I deserved running barefoot all the time in my younger days. After a couple days, then a trip to the ER (I was trying to avoid) and some x-rays, the doctor informed me I had broken my elbow in three places. Neither shoulder was dislocated, thankfully. Only my right wrist was sprained but clear of any fractures. My pride was still at the scene of the crime. Pain had introduced me to levels beyond my birthing children experiences.
The Aftermath
Surgery went well approximately one week later. Except for when the screw the surgeon was trying to put in started to splinter another bone. According to the follow up conversation, I have a wire wrapped around my bone like a wire wraps around a long-stem rose. Ironically, I have a small (maybe 2-inch) rose tattoo just below my hip on my rear end. (Never needs a touch up, I get older and my rose wilts naturally)! Nothing broken there, no wires needed. My rose petals are soft cushioning.
The aftermath of surgery hit me like a Mac truck. I have been a feisty and stubborn independent gal my entire life. Additionally, I juggle a million things as a mom which include a few more challenging tasks due to the disabilities of others under my care. (See my Caregiver Series). This elbow incident shut me down. I couldn’t drive for approximately eight months. I couldn’t write, type, lift, stir, reach, hold, or wave for the longest time. My arm would swell like Popeye’s arms after eating his spinach. To my frustrated surprise, this has lasted for years. It is now approaching the four-year post-surgery mark. I still face difficulties accomplishing regular tasks and suffer from consequences of prolonged movement. Of course, I am right hand dominant and this is my right elbow.
The Sport of Injuring Oneself
You would think I would stop with that injury and call it good for a lifetime. No! I am learning my lack of coordination has decided to camp permanently. Nor has my paying attention to where I am walking improved. Eight months ago, I broke my tailbone and hurt my back. I did not seek medical attention. My tailbone has finally improved enough I am able to sit on a dining chair for about 30 minutes. Then in one month, recently, I managed to slide on mud and fall resulting in some bodily bruising, back pain and scrapes and swelling on my left hand and separately injure my right shoulder. A different event where mom lost the pillow fight. Oh yes, the right shoulder, above my right elbow on the same side as my long-stem wired bone. This injury is still under review.
Wait, you say. Weren’t we discussing grocery delivery? Yes, exactly. With the events of my injuries, I have struggled to drive and something as simple, sometimes daunting, as grocery shopping is a chore for me. In fact, all this typing will come back to haunt me here shortly. Ice, Ice Baby!
Prime Pantry
Amazon started a program called Prime Pantry. 2-day shipping. Free shipping. I can’t get everything I need but I can have lots delivered making my physical trips to the grocery store considerably easier. I love to buy my family pack of laundry detergent, cat litter, pet food, canisters of powdered drinks and other bulk items through delivery service. When there is a special on canned goods, lookout! I buy cases of soup, tuna fish, lemon juice, vegetables and other miscellaneous dry ingredients.
I am a cheerleader for Amazon, however, I do recommend double checking your order always. Not every item is available for the 2-day shipping or the FREE shipping. Plus, price check your products. I have found some deals are fantastic buys. Other items are outrageously higher priced than pricing I find for the same product locally. Be sure to report any order discrepancies as soon as possible. By doing this, you are allowing Amazon the opportunity to make corrections. This is important for your order, your account and for Amazon to issue any credits or ship missed items in a timely manner.
Damaged Goods
In my experience, I have only had one item arrive damaged. It was one of those 4-packs of fruit cups with mandarin oranges and pears or similar. I saw one cup was crushed and leaking. Easy enough, I took it out of the container and washed it down. Finished putting my groceries away. All was great. Until I realized later there were small unseen leaks coming from the other cups. It created a mess in my pantry, but clean-up was manageable. It is nothing severe enough to sway my decision to continue ordering from Amazon Prime Pantry.
Fresh Delivery
Did you notice I left out any mention of fresh food items? There is a reason. In fact, a couple of reasons. First, Amazon Prime Pantry is only now introducing Fresh Delivery. I am not 100% certain it has officially launched in my area. Secondly, I know where all the fresh food items I love are located in my neighborhood store. My eyes for good deals are trained at my local store. I know where to find the unadvertised deals and products even my neighborhood store doesn’t offer online. Third, I live a short walk from a produce stand. This gives me an excuse to take a nice walk and pick out fresh food daily for our family meals. I like going to get snacks too.
The Local Store
The first Albertson’s store ever was built in Boise, Idaho. It was a family run store for a long time but over the years has gone through different hands. Today, Albertsons is everywhere. Within a five-mile radius, I have eight Albertsons stores to shop from. Three of them are less than 1.5 miles away.
With these stores in such close proximity, it makes no sense to order delivery, right? Again, family obligations, my injuries, and a million other excuses led me to the decision to try fresh food grocery delivery from my local store, Albertsons.
I was pleased to sign up and see my first delivery is free with a qualifying order of $50 or more. Fifty bucks, snap, I go to the store for three things, come out with 10 and spend a couple hundred dollars. In fact, I believed I could curb this impulsive shopping by ordering online delivery. Did you catch the past tense believed? Yah, well, once a shopper always a shopper!
User Friendly
The website process of ordering is user friendly. Similarly, to the fast food delivery services, I am familiar with my grocery store “menu”. Especially the deli, bakery and meat department offerings. I realize the store holds thousands of items and options. Of course, products come and go and change all the time. It makes sense the online shopping options are not fully inclusive of all the store carries. That said, it is also frustrating.
I can be flexible though. I can pick a different recipe or work around a substitute product, sometimes. It’s easier to price compare online than in the store. Shopping through the aisles you generally move something to see the price sticker. Then I either look up so high my neck is stretched to see the top shelf. Or practically lay on the floor to see the sticker on the bottom shelf.
Waiting for Delivery
With my first grocery delivery ordered online, all I had to do was wait for them to arrive. At the time, you had to place your order 24 to 48 hours in advance. Done, not a problem. (I see now they offer same day delivery). Further discounts are incentives for choosing later day delivery. I waited. But then I waited more. The wait became even longer. This was the beginning of the end.
The Struggle is Real
I contacted the store. The store initially said the service was not within their control, I would have to call the service number. My next step call the service number. After a series of pushing buttons, I was on hold listening to elevator music for nearly 45 minutes before I hung up even more frustrated. This was not about to be let go. I had been sitting for over my four-hour delivery window waiting. I planned on some of my groceries for dinner that night. Because of the situation, I ended up ordering pizza delivery. This time when I called the store a second time, I was told all the drivers had gone home a couple hours ago and I would have to call back in the morning. I pursued my need for resolution and finally was patched through to a manager.
Bring in Management
Managers are great problem solvers. Their listening skills are honed-in and service skills fine-tuned. The manager I reached is a great professional. She listened to my situation and made arrangement for me to receive my delivery the next day at one specified time, not even during a delivery window. She called me the next day to assure me my order was on its way and she was sending her best driver.
The New Driver
Sure enough, her driver (James) is a Rockstar! It turns out, my original delivery driver claimed to have come to the house during the appropriate time and there was no answer. I explained to James, as I had to the manager, I had three adults (including myself) here waiting for the delivery to arrive. Why so many? Because I had a big order and two of us have disabilities. All three of us are partially disabled but that sounds like three people walk into the bar joke. Or how many Pollocks does it take? And I am a pollock whose been to the bar so let’s not go there!
I also was able to show the driver a sign that is posted on my front door all the time. It has been there for months. The sign explains my door bell does not work. We are primarily toward the back of the house. Rarely do we hear knocking on the front door. Therefore, my sign includes my phone number and a request for a call when a delivery arrives, especially when a signature is required. Mr. Rockstar took a picture of the sign to show his boss.
My delivery was all there. Every single item. It was on time. The delivery fee was waived; but would have been because of the promotion anyway. In addition to my order, they sent out a huge beautiful bouquet of flowers, four dozen cookies and something else. I don’t recall the third thing now.
Follow Up
The next day, I received a call from the superior manager. Long story short, we reviewed all that happened. I was able to express my frustration and disappointment with my initial experience. My experience didn’t inspire me to order delivery again. Yet, I appreciated the efforts of the manager and the driver to make amends and am grateful for the extra goodies. The superior manager was apologetic and went further to credit my account $50.
The credit didn’t happen as I was told it would. For this reason, I started the series of calls again. Long story short, since it didn’t credit my initial shopping trip, they would credit my next order. Okay, this is a way for me to still get credit and them to try again to prove their service is worthwhile. Once more, I sat down to the computer and created my grocery order online for delivery. I was told to request Mr. Rockstar specifically and they would make sure he did the delivery. No chances for error.
The Process of an Order
There is a process to this grocery delivery apparently. You order online. The shopper follows your order and pulls the product. The loader bags your order and puts it in specific order bins and loads it onto the delivery truck. The driver delivers your order and collects your signature. Well, I received my second delivery and signed off on the paperwork. As I am unloading bags from the bins sticking them just inside my front door, I notice there are a couple things I didn’t order. My order had been partially combined with someone else’s order. Fortunately, I caught it and was able to alert the driver before he left. We had to go back through all the bags to make certain I had only what I ordered. It was a pain in the rear. The driver left. I put groceries away (with some extra help from my neighbor). Finally, I sat down and looked over the receipt. Only I discovered my $50 credit was not on the receipt.
One More Chance
Once again, I am calling and explaining the WHOLE series of events and that I still have not received my credit. This is not motivation for me to continue to use their grocery delivery service or to recommend it to anyone else. Eventually, the resolution was to try a third online order. I am reporting, my third order is scheduled for delivery tomorrow. (Look for an amended story – hahaha).
Regardless of how the delivery turns out tomorrow, I plan to reserve my grocery delivery for more dire times such as winter roads. My credit appeared on my order confirmation email. I know that has been handled. I have requested James as my driver so hopefully that is in place.
However, I chose to not order any fresh produce. I will walk down to the fruit and veggie stand down the street for those. I also decided to postpone buying any meat (aside from hot dogs and processed deli meats, etc.). My next excursion out, I will shop for my own roasts, steaks and chops.
The Final Verdict
Finally, I am in control of the product quality. For example, finding the avocado not too green and not over ripe. Or the sweeter pineapple. I decide if a substitute item is suitable or not. Substitute items selected by another person are not always equivalent enough to meet my needs or desires. I can look for the just the right marbling in the meat I want.
UPDATE:
My third grocery delivery arrived on schedule. This is the first check to the positive. My driver request did not pan out, I did have a substitute driver. However, he was very accommodating and provided excellent service. Another plus. All my credits and promotions were calculated and accounted for on the receipt. Another check mark for the good. A couple of items were substituted for okay secondary options. On a scale where 1 is poor and 10 is great, that falls about a 5.
One item completely not in stock without a substitute at all. Scale rating at a 3. The missing item – dill. I struggle to think in the summer time there are no options for fresh dill or dill paste. Only dried dill weed, I have that in my cupboard. I use it with country-style breakfast potatoes all the time (fresh dill works too)! Another great way to use dried dill weed (or fresh dill) is sprinkled on fresh sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumbers.
At no fault of theirs, I miscalculated a couple of quantities for items. I added a couple items to my cart based on price only to realize it is approximately half the quantity I need for my dish. It looks like I will be creating a grocery shopping list again and going in person. Although, I don’t have to do it right away and my immediate grocery needs are covered.
Overall, I will most likely utilize grocery delivery service again. For as much time as it takes to go in person, it takes equivalent time to plan and shop online.
Primary Advantages
- Less loading and unloading
- Heavy or bulk items are easier to order and handle
- It’s a service available when your options to get there are challenging or don’t exist
- Saves me on gas and hassle of finding a parking space
- Removes the inconvenience of hauling the cart back into the store from the parking lot after loading the car (I don’t believe in leaving runaway carts in the parking lot. They dent and scratch cars. Somebody has to fetch it. It’s called “picking up after oneself”).
- I don’t have to get out of my pajamas, brush my hair or my teeth — some days you need those options!
TRY OUT THESE DELIVERY SERVICES:
Doordash – GrubHub – UberEats – Wine and Cheese
DELIVERY SERVICE SERIES RELATED ARTICLES
Next Article: Fine Wine Delivery #3
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