Which is Best For Online Grocery Shopping? Many online grocers offer quality items at prices that might out-perform your typical grocery store. I compared several popular services to find out which one is the best. I searched for ones that provide a variety of products, top brands, and fair prices, as well as an easy way to order delivery or pickup. Online shopping is all about planning your list and making sure you've booked your delivery time before it gets full. Also, you'll need to be prepared to make swaps depending on the availability. 1. Instacart The online grocery delivery service lets you order via a mobile app or website and create a virtual cart that is then fulfilled by the personal shopper on particular day. Instacart collaborates with more than 1400 national regional, local, and national retail banners to deliver food from more than 80,000 stores across North America. You can find stores that are members-only, such as Costco or Sam's Club. Instacart charges an $2.99 fee for same-day delivery and the $3.99 fee for service (plus an additional tip to the customer). The fees are similar to the ones you would pay at your local grocery store. However, you don't have to drive to park, sit in a parking lot, or wait in a line. Instacart offers an annual membership to customers who purchase at least 14 times in a year. This will save you money on service and delivery fees. If you're worried about your grocery costs, consider price-shopping prior to adding items to your cart. Instacart allows you to add specific prices and nutritional facts to your list, so you can compare ingredients and prices to those of the items already in your cart. You can also create a "shoppable list" using the Instacart application. This is useful for future grocery shopping trips. However, Hindert warns that using Instacart to purchase groceries might not be as effective than shopping on your own as it could lead to buying impulse items. In addition, grocery delivery services don't always offer the same sales in stores that you would find at your local supermarket. 2. Amazon Grocery Amazon Grocery allows individuals to have their groceries delivered directly to their doorstep. The items are sourced from local Amazon warehouses and can be picked up by a courier or dropped off at a designated location (where you need to be present to pick up your order). The service is available for next-day and same-day delivery. Amazon has a wide range of grocery items available, including fresh products, dairy seafood, meat, packaged goods, frozen foods and household products. Amazon Grocery is one of the most well-known grocery shopping services available and for good reason. It has a competitive pricing structure, a huge range of items, and convenient features that make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to save time and money on their groceries. The service is also a great choice for those who want to lower their carbon footprint. Bishop of Brick Meets Click said that Amazon Grocery's focus is on daily food shopping and its reasonable price, and its curated selection puts it in direct concurrence with traditional supermarkets. "Grocers who aren't a standout in any of these categories are the most vulnerable to Amazon Grocery," Bishop added. In order to encourage more frequent and larger grocery orders within its Prime membership, Amazon has introduced a range of new perks including unlimited delivery of groceries. This will allow the company to position itself as an all-in-one store for many of its customers' daily requirements. Amazon's merchandising technology is a different method that it is using to draw customers to its grocery stores. These include featuring local brands that were successful in its smaller 365 stores, such as Rockenwagner Bakery and Groundworks Coffee. This gives shoppers an authentic shopping experience and makes it easier to build loyalty. 3. Walmart Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular due to hectic work schedules, family obligations and a general dislike of crowds. From clothing to office supplies it's all easier when you can just click and ship. Now grocery shopping is also part of the party. Online grocers are booming with many offering convenience, while others offer quality products at reasonable prices. Which one is right for you? To help you find the most efficient grocery delivery service, we've compiled the top options. Instacart is a renowned online grocery service that connects you to personal shoppers who buy your groceries at local stores. It is accessible in thousands of cities, and is an excellent option for shoppers who like to shop at the chain supermarkets but also wish to take advantage of discounts at wholesalers such as Costco and Aldi. Instacart offers same-day delivery to many markets and includes stores such as Food Lion, Kroger and Wegmans. It even has a service for bulk items, which is perfect for those who frequently go to the supermarket to purchase essentials. Walmart is another major name in the world of e-commerce for groceries. Its online ordering system allows customers to choose a pickup or delivery time and then choose your items from a virtual cart. The site has rollback deals and a broad selection of items from produce to pantry essentials to personal care items. Walmart+ is a service that provides groceries from local stores. Thrive Market is an online grocery store that is a specialist in organic and non-GMO food items. Membership costs $5 per month, billed annually. It provides a variety of food items to choose from such as fish, meat, and dairy. Thrive offers free shipping on orders that exceed $35, and the selection includes items that are healthy for you as well as the planet. 4. Smith's Online grocery shopping can be a lifesaver for many busy families. Not only can these services help you shave one errand per week off your to-do list, but they can also make it easier to meal plan and budget. Not all online grocery stores provide the same features. It's crucial to select the right one, regardless of whether you're looking for convenience or a large range of products. Other online grocery stores offer convenient delivery and pickup options. Instacart is one of the online grocery stores that allows personal shoppers to shop in local stores and deliver your order to your home or workplace. Walmart Grocery is one of the many services that permit customers to shop online and then pick up your order at an authorised store. Thrive Market is another popular online grocery store offering a variety of organic and natural items. These include essentials for your pantry, cleaning products, and more. Unlike other online grocers, Thrive does not have an order minimum or flat fee for delivery. There is also an option for free membership that lets you try the service for two weeks before deciding decide to sign up for the service. For customers who rely on government benefits, Smith's offers an online grocery service that accepts EBT and SNAP cards for curbside pickup at more than 70 stores. Choose the store's location in your Smith's App shop for your groceries, place your order and then select a pickup time. When you arrive, pull into your parking spot and dial an number to let an associate know you're there. The associate will deliver your order to you in the parking lot. 5. Peapod Peapod is an innovator in online grocery shopping. It is available in 24 US markets. Customers can order and receive deliveries of groceries, pantry items fresh produce, deli products such as meats, dairy organic and natural food and prepared meals, office and school products, personal care items and alcohol at certain markets. Customers also can pick up orders at more than 200 Peapod pickup locations, the majority of which are connected to Ahold USA's brick and mortar stores such as Stop & Shop. Peapod utilizes data to determine shoppers' favorite brands and items which allows the online retailer to recommend similar items. It also allows shoppers to see all the items in their cart in a single glance and then use filters to narrow results. Because grocery shopping is a routine activity the Skokie company in Illinois utilizes data to predict the products the shopper would buy and then push them to the top of the list. The company's service is based on its drivers, also known as brand ambassadors. Bienkowski told Food Dive that food is an emotional experience. Being able to interact directly with the person who delivers the order makes it more convenient and pleasant. When customers see their groceries delivered by the driver they know that their purchase is safe with the driver. As an early innovator of online grocery shopping, Peapod has invested in technology to keep up with its competitors. Peapod hasn't had as much of an impact on the market as other grocery delivery services such as Instacart or Amazon Fresh. But the 28-year veteran of the online grocery delivery battles is working to boost its competitiveness by expanding its e-commerce offerings. It recently launched a new mobile shopping experience that is based on its exclusive PRISM platform at its own sites, as well as the sites of its parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA.