Grocery Delivery: Is It Worth the Money?

Everything is becoming automated. All sorts of chores that used to require hours of driving, browsing, and comparing can now be handled with simple apps and websites from home. It’s little surprise that this sort of convenience has extended to grocery shopping. But is it worth the money to have someone else make your supermarket run for you? Here we will take a look at some of the pros and cons of using a grocery delivery service.

How It Works

Using a grocery delivery service is very easy. There are many companies to choose from, but they do not service all locations so it is important to make sure the one you pick actually delivers in your area. Once you find a company, you simply go to their website or app and create a digital shopping list from their catalog for the store you are purchasing food from. They the delivery company will send a personal shopper (sort of like a supermarket Uber driver) to get the items on your list and bring them to your doorstep.

The Pros

Convenience

The biggest draw for many people using grocery delivery services is the ease of use. You don’t even have to get dressed in the morning to do your shopping! Stay home and relax while someone else handles that drudgery.

Time Saved (Money Earned)

Let’s think about this in terms of what your time is worth. Whether you are self-employed or work for others, you are compensated for your time. Let’s imagine that you earn $20/hr. That means that during a 2-hour grocery store trip, you could have made $40 working instead. If it only takes ten minutes to set up a delivery online, and $5 for the service, you could get back to work and still have time to make $35 or more without wasting time wandering around the store looking for cream of tartar.

Online Coupons

Many companies have coupons built into their websites and apps that would be unavailable to you if you purchased in person. These savings alone could be enough to make the service a good investment.

The Cons

Produce Selection

One thing that bothers many (myself included) is the idea of someone else making product selections for me. Deli and meat counter choices too, actually. How can you be sure that the personal shopper will put effort into choosing the best quality items for you?

Potential Higher Prices

You might have noticed that restaurant delivery services charge slightly more for menu items than the restaurant itself does. The same is often true of grocery delivery. This is only a possibility, though. Often the prices are equal and, on occasion, some items may even be cheaper when purchased through the delivery service. Comparing prices between companies (if more than one service is available in your area) is always a good idea.

These pros and cons are by no means exhaustive. It is difficult to say whether delivery services are worth the money. It really comes down to you. Are you willing to pay for convenience? Can you sacrifice picking out the perfect ribeye in order to save time? If you aren’t sure, give the service a try once or twice. If you don’t like it or don’t see the value, just go back to making your own trips to the grocery store. The choice is yours!