Buying groceries online isn’t a distant wish anymore. Yes you heard it right! As more and more players enter into the market, online grocery shopping is set to be the next big thing in e-commerce. People have taken a fancy to online purchasing – from high-end electronics, clothing, furniture, automobile parts to any out of the world things you can possibly conjecture.
Online supermarkets are wooing customers with services such as next-minute home delivery, farm-fresh quality fruits and vegetables, and attractive offers and discounts. The focus is also on developing interactive online grocery websites to provide better user experience such as easy product selection and multiple payment options.
Comfort Shopping
Comfort is such a luxury. Imagine selecting products and loading your cart right from your couch with a simple click of the mouse. I do find it tiring hunting for items on endless racks at my local supermarket. And if there is a crowd, it becomes a battleground with trollies. People are often rude, in a hurry and practically run you over to get their items.
It is such a boon for that elderly couple that I run into now and again. No more driving to the store or bending to pick items off the shelf. Also I know of this busy mom with toddler twins, who switched to a delivery service for groceries and household goods because the convenience was worth it for her. Otherwise it would be next to impossible to get the shopping done with the kids in tow.
The Value Of Time
Time has become a precious commodity. It is not hard to guess that more and more people are likely to shift regular chores like grocery shopping to online in the near future. Why bother about bad weather and traffic jams when you can shop 24×7 without waiting in lines or wandering around the store selecting items?
You also have the luxury of planning and adding on products in your online cart over the week. That way you don’t miss out on buying that important ingredient while at the store in case you have a lousy memory.
Yet there is still the regular crowd who enjoy shopping in-store and hand-pick their products. Sadly not everyone has the luxury of time.
Better Savings
In my store outings, I have reached out and grabbed products that I didn’t plan to buy in the first place. Physical stores tactically display products to maximize this impulsive behavior. It is also too easy to buy more items than you need when they are set out in front of you! Online grocery shopping keeps you more organized and within control. No impulse buys by you and no nag-buys from your kids.
It is easier to check product prices online and customers can keep better track of how much they are spending.
Being able to order stuff and get it delivered free the same day at a set time is amazing. Saving on fuel costs and forgetting parking hassles does seem attractive. Of course if you stay across the street and very near to your local store, shopping online may not make much of a difference. But if you are extremely pressed for time, it can be a wonderful system.
What Are The Downsides?
There are some demerits to ordering groceries online which would keep a section of customers stick to shopping at their downtown grocery store. If you are picky about choosing your own fresh items such as fruits and veggies, this system would be outright unappealing to you. Online stores do take extra care to deliver the best quality products to mitigate this factor as well as to build a good reputation for their services.
Some families may miss the social contact that is a part of in-store shopping. When you buy groceries online , you do lose out on the small talk with other customers or store staff or even running up into old friends.
In terms of costs, some customers are put off by the high delivery charges and would choose to beat it to the store instead especially if there are better discounts on offer.
Bottom Line:
All these downsides however have not impacted the higher number of people preferring online grocery shopping lately. This trend only seems to grow with online grocers offering better user experience, secure payment system and effective grocery delivery service.
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