Grocery delivery has exploded in popularity over the past few years with local grocery stores and big retailers alike simplifying grocery shopping. From WalMart to Kroger to Amazon, you can shop everything you need from home and have it delivered to your door instead.
Many people, however, still think grocery delivery is nothing more than an expensive luxury. But grocery delivery is actually affordable – and here are a few reasons why it can be cheaper than visiting the store yourself.
Grocery Delivery Eliminates Impulse Shopping
Grocery stores want you to shop in-person – if you do, you’ll spend far more money! A typical grocery store is designed to catch your eye and your shopping cart so you purchase items you don’t actually need or want. These impulse buys happen as you wander physically through a store. And, according to a SlickDeals survey reported by CNBC¹, the average consumer spends $5,400 on impulse buys every year.
With online grocery delivery, you find the items you need by searching for them. There’s no wandering aimlessly through the store, so you’re far less likely to impulsively buy items you don’t really need. Because you have to seek out the specific items you’d like to add to your cart, you won’t get a chance to browse enticing item after enticing item.
Grocery delivery also cuts down on impulse shopping because it eliminates the distractions that can happen while browsing the grocery store. You place your order online, meaning there’s no chance of your kids adding unnecessary items to the cart, no smells from the fresh bakery to lure you in, and no need to shop on an empty stomach. You’ll find that you stick to a list easier, cutting down the cost of items you’re likely to toss out anyway.
Coupons Are Automatic
Many people are reluctant to try grocery delivery services because there are no coupons – or so it seems. In actuality, grocery delivery services have streamlined the coupon process, making it easy to save even more on groceries through clipped and digital coupons.
When using grocery delivery services, you can still use any manufacturer’s coupons you’ve saved. Typically, you just enter the coupon information at checkout, and the discount is automatically applied. That way, you don’t have to worry about missing out on any extra savings.
What’s even better is most delivery services also allow you to connect your store loyalty program information to your account, so you can earn rewards and discounts both for shopping in person and for having orders delivered. You don’t have to enter a phone number or scan a loyalty card every time, either. Everything is saved on your online account, so discounts and deals are applied automatically. You may even find that some coupons are only available for delivery.
It may even be possible to sometimes apply coupons from multiple sources to a single item. For example, if you use a third-party grocery delivery service like Shipt, you can use coupons from Shipt and coupons from the store where you’re buying groceries. Many grocery stores offer their own delivery services, and they often offer special discounts for items ordered online and delivered.
You’ll Get Access to Online Specials
Visiting the grocery store or checking your weekly newspaper is often thought to be the best way to catch sales and specials on groceries. However, grocery delivery has made this even easier. When you order online and use grocery delivery, you can easily check and access specials through the online ordering platform while you shop. In other words, you can come up with your grocery list and then search for deals on items you need.
Additionally, grocery delivery services want customers to place repeat orders online. So, to sweeten the deal, they often offer discounts on entire brands or a special selection of items not available in stores. For example, you might get free delivery if you buy $10 of deli meat, or you could get $15 off your order total for buying Kraft items of any kind. These savings can add up and reduce your costs significantly.
The more you use online grocery delivery, the better the deals become. Most services keep a running list of frequently purchased, or favorite, items that you can quickly pull up for easy reordering. This can be a great way to be alerted whenever something you buy regularly goes on sale.
Grocery Delivery Helps You Stick to Your Budget
Finally, unlike when shopping for groceries in a brick-and-mortar store, ordering and having them delivered lets you have a running total while you shop. That way, you won’t arrive at the cash register only to be shocked by the total, and you’re far less likely to accidentally exceed your budget. This gives you a lot more control and precision over the process, and it’s certain to help you to save a lot of money over time — especially when combined with digital and clipped coupons.
Like anything, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the latest research. We recommend comparing at least 3 or 4 options before making a final decision. Doing a search online is typically the quickest, most thorough way to discover all the pros and cons you need to keep in mind.