What does online grocery shopping change?

Grocery shopping done from a screen removes most of the decisions that come up while walking the aisles. In return, it has new pitfalls of its own, and they work differently from the ones in a store.

What do you gain?

The clearest gain is that the shopping is done in the kitchen. Placing an order while standing in front of the fridge lets you decide while seeing what you already have, and it reduces buying the same thing twice.

The second gain is that past orders are visible. What was bought before is on record; this lets you set up a fixed backbone list and saves you writing a list from scratch every week.

The third is that the problem of shopping on an empty stomach weakens. Because the moment of ordering can be chosen, the decision can be made with a plan rather than with hunger.

What are the new pitfalls?

The products that appear on the screen as suggestions are the equivalent of the eye-level shelf in the aisle. And because adding them to the basket takes one tap, unplanned additions are easier than they are in a store.

The second pitfall is the minimum order amount. Items added to reach a certain total fall outside the list of what you need and usually sit unused.

The third is not being able to see the product physically. The freshness, ripeness and size of fresh products cannot be chosen; this makes a clear difference with vegetables and fruit.

What do you do about fresh produce?

The method that commonly works is to split the shopping in two. Dry goods, cleaning supplies and shelf-stable products are ordered online; vegetables, fruit and bread are picked out in person somewhere nearby.

This split keeps the strong side of both methods. Heavy and bulky products do not have to be carried, and fresh products are chosen by sight.

If everything is going to be ordered online, the expectation is set accordingly. A menu that takes into account that what arrives may differ from what was expected does not hang on a single item.

How do you build the list?

A fixed backbone list is the strongest side of online shopping. The basic items bought every week are saved once and called up with a single action in later orders.

Only the items specific to that week are added on top. This shortens the time and also reduces aimless browsing while you look at the list, along with the unplanned additions that come with it.

A list derived from the menu is the most reliable one. First the dishes to be cooked that week are decided, then their ingredients go into the basket; that way every item has a meal that answers for it.

Looking at the basket one last time before placing the order helps too. This short check makes visible the items that were added during the shopping but are not actually needed.

What does the delivery setup affect?

Having the delivery slot fall at a time when someone will be home shortens the waiting time for fresh products. A delivery left waiting at the door for a long time is the weakest link in the cold chain.

Putting the arriving products away right away is part of the same chain. Products left waiting in bags take up space and create an unsuitable wait for the ones that spoil quickly.

Why a short round of prep done as soon as the delivery is opened works is explained in the way home from the market. This is exactly the right moment to wash and divide what comes out of the boxes.

Who does it suit better?

In situations where carrying heavy shopping is hard, where time is limited and where getting to the market takes a long time, this method gives a clear advantage.

For people who want to choose fresh produce themselves, it may not be enough on its own. In that case a mixed method meets the expectations of both sides.

Whichever method is chosen, what decides is where the list comes from. A list derived from the menu sets up the same routine no matter which channel the order goes through.

Trying the method for a while is also the easiest way to decide. A trial of a few weeks shows what works and what falls short; that observation settles by itself which items are bought through which channel.

In the end, which channel is chosen comes second. What really decides the shopping is where the list comes from; a list based on the menu gives the same result both on the screen and in the aisle.