The 9 Best Places to Order Groceries Online

Running to the grocery store has always been a chore. Throw in a global pandemic, and grocery shopping starts to feel even more daunting. As if online shopping wasn’t amazing enough, you can also all your groceries from the comfort of your couch. Online grocery shopping works one of two ways: you get your goods delivered, like a regular package, that was packed in a warehouse; or a local shopper, equipped with your grocery list, does all the leg work for you and delivers it to your front door (contactless, too, if you prefer).

A few things to consider when deciding if an online grocer is right for you is whether it’s available in your area, minimum order requirements and delivery fees. Some services, like Amazon Fresh, just make sense if you already have an Amazon Prime account, while others, like Thrive Market, cater to those who only want to buy good-for-you products. After you take those factors into consideration, find which of the following nine grocery delivery services is for you.

Amazon Fresh

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If you already have Amazon Prime, it only makes sense to take advantage of the included Amazon Fresh. The digital interface is identical to shopping Amazon’s regular marketplace, so you don’t have to teach yourself how to navigate a new website. Finding what you need is as easy as shopping on Amazon can be, plus, the availability is almost unmatched by other services on this list. Shopping on Amazon Fresh means you get access to Whole Foods products, and orders can get to you in as fast as an hour.

Boxed

Boxed

Boxed is an online wholesale retailer, so it’s like Costco but virtual. Get bulk versions of your most-used groceries like produce, dairy and eggs, and also get pantry goods and home essentials. Expect your orders to be delivered in one to three days, with express delivery available on orders.

FreshDirect

FreshDirect

Those on the east coast may choose to shop from FreshDirect, which delivers your typical groceries as well as alcohol and ready-to-eat meals. In certain locations, you can get your order in about an hour, and you can schedule deliveries a week in advance. Those who have already shopped with FreshDirect are quick to note the brand’s high-quality products, which are often organic.

Safeway

Justin Sullivan

While the east coast has Fresh Direct, the other half of the country has Safeway, a chain of supermarkets that also does delivery. Because Safeway is a regular supermarket, its delivery runs on supermarket hours — between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. — but you can shop online 24/7. The minimum order requirement is $30, and while the $10 delivery fee is higher than most other delivery services, purchases over $150 may have reduced delivery fees.

Shipt

Shipt

Shopping with Shipt is like hiring a personal shopper to collect your goods from the various stores the service partners with, like Target, CVS and Costco to name a few. As long as a store is open, you can get your stuff fairly quickly. Shipt is as widely available as other personal shopping services, but you do get to shop from widely popular stores, and coupons and exclusive savings are regularly available so you can easily save a quick buck and earn back your monthly or yearly membership fee.

Instacart

Instacart

By partnering with over 500 retailers across the US, Instacart gets local shoppers to help buy and deliver all the items you want without having to leave home. You can even order from warehouse clubs — like Costco and BJ’s — without needing a membership with those clubs. You’ll get live updates on your order, and if something is out of stock, your shopper will reach out to you to ask if you’d be interested in an alternate item.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is an online marketplace for good-for-you products from home care items to food. As Thrive puts it, they sell ” organic, non-GMO, sustainable and non-toxic products for every lifestyle.” The company also strives to keep its prices low, so items are more approachable to everyday people. Thrive also provides free membership, called Thrive Gives, to certain individuals, which includes low-income families, students, teachers, veterans, members of the military and first responders.

Umamicart

Umamicart

Umamicart sells Asian groceries you might not find in your typical grocery store (or online grocery store). The website makes it easy even for those who aren’t familiar with Asian cooking styles or ingredients while providing basically everything you need to cook up your favorite Asian dish. The website is constantly bringing in new products, so logging onto the site can feel like a treasure hunt.

Walmart Grocery

Get all the Walmart groceries you know and love delivered to you on the same day you order. If you live close enough to a Walmart, you can even drive up to the location and have the goods packed into your car. Besides getting just groceries, you can also get whatever else Walmart has to offer at the same low prices that make the retail giant such a go-to.

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