At our supermarket, most of the checkers are cute and friendly. I'm fine walking into the store.

I'm fine walking into the store as well...I may see something that I didn't realize I needed. Our Wal-Mart has designated the prime parking spots on one side of the building for this activity...I guess it's progress.

quote:

Originally posted by Apphunter:
we do our weekly grocery shopping that way.

On Sunday mornings we make a meal plan. Then we find the recipes and can go through the recipes while we are looking in the fridge or the cabinets. Through in a our usual consumables and double check to make sure don't need toilet paper.

Way better than going in the store.

We do it the exact same way. I like it. It's very convenient.

No problems so far with bad meat/produce/etc.

Rarely, you'll run into a situations where they've run out of the exact product that you ordered, but they've always been good about offering options for substitutions, most of which end up as a bonus for the buyer. (E.g. 2 cans of ABC brand because the 1 can of XYZ brand you ordered was out of stock.) You always have the option of either accepting a substitution, or declining it and getting a refund for that product.

If you're looking for something specific, like avocados that are ripe enough to use for guacamole the same day, or a cut of meat with a specific set of qualities, I'd still go inside. It's not a replacement for personally fondling the produce or inspecting the meat, in situations like that. But for 99% of grocery products, it's great.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RogueJSK,

quote:

Originally posted by rusbro:
Maybe they want to publicize and encourage the service. Do you not think they considered the options and chose the one (location for parking) they thought likely best served their business?

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
actually no , I don't think they did.

and I don't think that they asked either the people at the sam's or their customers.

So, do you think they just chose those spots at random, or perhaps to intentionally to harm their own business?

Come on man, I understand you find it irritating, but just because you don't like it doesn't mean it was necessarily a bad decision for them. Rest assured, they will monitor the service and adjust according to what they interpret to be best for the business.

A big push for online grocery delivery was tried several years ago. The public didn't adopt it, for the most part, and it pretty much fell by the wayside. They're trying a variation. If it means more happy, paying customers, and more profit, they'll keep it. If it doesn't, they'll abandon it. That's the beauty of free-markets.

We have been using Amazon for a few weeks now.
So far I'm impressed.
The packaging they do is fabulous, foil/insulated liners in the paper bags, frozen ice packs, and dry ice, all used to keep things right.
They pull orders from Whole Foods, every food item has been very well picked.
Next day delivery to your door, in a narrow pre- determined time line.
Prices with delivery are not that far out of line.

No thanks, I'll do my own shopping as long as I'm able.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
but
what is the difference if they wait 5 minutes for their groceries on the north side of the building , where no one else wants to park
or
on the west side of the building , where people have been parking for ten years?

there are 20 available spaces on the north side already , that no one uses

and 1/20th the traffic

Im confused. Why would you not want to park on the north side of the building if there is a plethora of parking and less traffic.

My wife uses the service pretty regularly with great results.

there is about a 600 foot difference to the front door, it gets cold here and a 20 m.p.h.wind

My wife does it and loves it. Saves her an hour of walking around the store, makes it easier to stay on budget because no impulse buys. She has been very happy with the meat and veggies she gets. She won't do it another way now!

It also great for the elderly or those with mobility issues. My mother in law can't walk around a big store any more, so just go park and they pack your car for you.

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:
What’s next? Are they going to thump your watermelons for me too? Are they giving up on all my impulse purchases?
If they really wanted to speed things up, they’d get rid of those #@$& wispy impossible to open plastic bags in the produce section.
Curmudgeon rant off.

Wet your fingers and those bags come right apart.

ok , I get it now, its been explained to me.

Shopping is like shooting, fishing and photography.

Out of 100 people , there will be 8 or ten reasons why people shop and shoot they way they choose.

My budget demands that I shop for price ,not convenience and my schedule allows me to take the amount of time needed.

I'll most definitely be giving the online ordering and grocery pick-up at Walmart my next order. This has big benefits for me. My last online order and grocery delivery from Instacart went well but, prices may be much higher due to delivery services to my home. I'm glad this thread was posted, thank you bendable.

At the risk of thread drift: I just stumbled across an article on theft at the self-checkouts.

Linky.

That said, I haven't done the online-order thing yet, but I've run across several of the store employees doing the shopping. I'm curious to talk to one of them about their side of the task. (Multiple orders on one cart, etc.)

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:

quote:

Originally posted by ASKSmith:
I'd never do it.

I honestly think grocery stores can/will take advantage of people who are too lazy to get out of their cars.

Milk/meat/eggs about ready to expire. Crappy fruit, vegetables, etc...

By the time you get home and unpacked, what are you going to do? The same thing applies to drive through fast food places. What did Joe Pesci say in Lethal Weapon 2? "They always fuck you at the drive through".

I'm very particular about the produce and meat I buy, I can't trust anyone...ANYONE to make those decisions for me.

Same. A large part of my diet is fruit so I’m gonna put my eyes on it before I buy.

I never knew grocery shopping was so inconvenient. I know where everything is and go during the least traffic time of the whole week. From parking the car, I’m usually loading the car after, 10-15 minutes later. But I mow my own yard and clean my own house. I like doing things myself, and that cut out more people out of my life.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
I looked up Shipt, thats a whole different paradigm,
my nephew uses that also and likes it a lot!


But shipt does not inconvenience the walk in customers

I'm an irregular Shipt customer (only use it when I'm ill and can't shop for myself) and they shop at my local HEB. I signed up to this prior to HEB adding the parking lot pick-up option.

A few observations:

They do inconvenience regular HEB customers because they're glued to their smart phones when shopping. I"ve seen 'em ram people at HEB because they weren't watching where they're going and they're in a hurry so they'll park their cart on one side of the aisle and search for the item on the other side of the aisle which clogs it.

My biggest gripe are the foul ups. For example, I'll specify prime grade NY strip and I'll receive choice grade NY strip. Customer service has always made it right, but it's a PITA to have to do this extra step.

My 2nd biggest gripe is some of the quantities you're forced to select. The last time I ordered steak their minimum was 3 lbs and I wrote in the comment to buy "one 12 to 16 ounce steak." You guessed it, I received a tad over 3 lbs of steak. I really don't like freezing Prime grade steak.

My 3rd biggest gripe is they won't look too long for something and even if you click the option that it's OK to call with questions they rarely will. As an example, I have the same motion actived soap dispenser at my kitchen sink, MBR sink, and 1/2 bath sink and I'm 100% positive HEB sells the soap for it. They have called or texted zero times and every time it's been marked "out of stock."

As rare as I use it, it's probably not worth the cost ($14 per month if billed monthly or $99 per year if paid at once).

EDIT: Shipt customer service is open Sunday nights and I’m no longer a customer

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tatortodd,

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
there is about a 600 foot difference to the front door, it gets cold here and a 20 m.p.h.wind

Another reason to allow online-order customers to park close is that they're probably more likely to decide to run in the store to pick up something else up. I don't know what percentage of sales are due to customers picking up stuff they remember at the last minute, or on an impulse, but it's significant, I bet. There's value to getting online customers into the store for time to time. Forcing them to always park 600 ft. away would discourage that.

Well I do not think we will ever do it.

I am the only working one in the Household. One income is tuff in The Bay Area in California.

My wife really knows the places to go to stretch the dollar. Here for paper goods. Here for deodorant, shampoo, toiletries and general backing goods, etc. etc.

She plans meals a lot of time on the marked down meats. Ya they may be a little brown but ask any hunter or rancher, it is the same thing aging game or beef. You let it hang at about 37 to 40 degrees for 7 to 10 days. It is the same for aging a rib roast in your fridge. Season it and wrap it loosely in cheese cloth.

Produce she is very picky about. Always smells it for freshness.

We ate very well and a lot of vegetables. Wife always says we (actually her) can do it better at home then going out.

Due to our business I have spent a good deal of time in the back rooms of a lot of Wal marts speaking with department managers. Based on the things I’ve seen I’ve adopted a policy a long time ago. If it goes in my mouth it does not come from Wal Mart. A can of soup maybe but absolutely nothing fresh like produce.
I’ve seen enough back room ass hattery by some of the overnight employees.
Heed my words folks.

We order online but they deliver to our door. We use Instacart and use it roughly once a week.

quote:

Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
My wife does it and loves it. Saves her an hour of walking around the store, makes it easier to stay on budget because no impulse buys.

Totally agree.

Our middle schooler helps with the on-line cart also. Very effective at teaching the home economics aspect - price per unit of volume, store brand vs. name brand, comparison shopping, total basket price etc.

Plus - any time less I can spend in WM generally the more positive the experience- crowds, lines, dirtball types, etc.

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