Online Grocery Shopping

I don't like grocery shopping. I'm not sure why I developed this attitude, but there is something about this chore that has me looking for excuses to put it off for another day.

Going to the grocery store used to be a simple task when Jack was a baby. He would sit in the cart, content as could be. I could breeze through the aisles quickly, and complete my shopping in 30 minutes or less. But now that Jack is three years old, he has no interest in sitting in the cart, and would rather explore the store at his own pace, in his own erratic pattern. What used to be an efficient trip, is now a chaotic, drawn-out experience. So when I received a brochure in the mail the other day from a company offering grocery delivery, I took interest.

I've vaguely known about this type of service for awhile, but I never really seriously considered it for myself. I wondered, who is the typical customer for this type of home delivery service? Is it mostly people who can't physically leave their homes? Or perhaps individuals who don't have time to spend in a grocery store. Or, maybe it's people who just prefer to do all of their shopping online.

There are a number of companies online that offer home delivery of groceries. Because there are so many available, I have to believe that a fair number of shoppers rely on this type of service. Here are just a few:

PeaPod

NetGrocer

EthnicGrocer.com

GroceryWorks.com

PD Quick

Have you ever shopped for groceries online? Is the delivery service reliable? Can I expect a total stranger to be as particular as I am about picking perfect produce? And is there any real value to having your groceries delivered straight to your door?

If you have ever ordered groceries online, please share your experience.

I'm not convinced that online grocery shopping is the best option for me. But when I think about the hassle of chasing Jack around the liquor department of our local Pick N Save for 15 minutes, anything is possible.