Shard

i suppose the issu is the company's ROI on setting up an online shopping front end when it's only going to be used by customers coming in to pick up. That must be a much smaller subset than delivery customers, as there's still a time investment in ordering online, but not the compensating convenience of not having to exit the house. Many customers will think, if they're driving to the store anyway, they can spend half an hour choosing their groceries.

As far as I know grocery 'click and collect' still isn't offered in the UK, although online/catalog products can be click and collected.

Parnell

This is their issue, they have created warehouses for customers to pick pack.
New age online grocery order picking is around 9 mins (does not matter size of order as process is driven by waves which last 15 mins).
Difference in time is waves are broken down into 00 (on the hour) 15 past, 30 past and 45 past. All orders ready for dispatch are picked in that quarter (15 min wave).
Delivery vehicles are auto loaded (means 10 seconds)
Then out the door
So the challenge for bricks and mortar and extended service delivery companies like Insta cart is how can they perform in this time frame which also includes auto checking of all orders for 100% compliance.
On issue of quality and returns - depends on company but a reputable company establishing a trusting relationship would not think twice of replacement and/or credit dependent on your choice, with replacement straight away not booking another timeslot.
On choosing your own product - have you seen the other 400 people squeezing and sneezing over the selection before you? The less handling the longer shelf life/pantry/fridge life.

Parnell

Modern click and collect is 15 minutes where by you order and literally click to collect straight away or time you prefer. By the time you get in your car and arrive at the location your order would be ready.

Tirytory

Tesco offered click and collect before I left. I picked up my Christmas groceries one year as I was too late choosing a delivery slot. But you could do it any time of the year. How I miss online grocery shopping....there is a partial service I'm going to try here, mostly fruit and veg and essentials and I would still need to do a dry shop but could maybe do that once every two weeks. Best I'm going to get I'm afraid.

Stinkypup

As has been previously voiced, if I have to go to the shop I may as well do the shopping. In Norfolk we were remote from a Supermarket so the £5 delivery charge was easily justified

Shard

Few people are that time sensitive on groceries. Take away meals, maybe.

Shard

Didn't know that. I don't use the mighty Tesco but they certainly have a big online operation.

Shirtback

IGA here offers 'click & collect', also order online & delivery (in selected locations, i think). In either case, in the time it takes to go through the process, I can go to the store, shop, come home, put away the shopping & have dinner on the table, as well as other meals for the freezer simmering/roasting/bubbling away.

I did seriously check into using this option* years ago when living in the back of nowhere & working silly hours at some distance outside the home: it was quicker & easier to just go do the shop, & the delivery option wasn't, & still isn't available to "back of nowhere".

*It failed seriously not only in terms of time saving/convenience, but also in the selection of fresh produce: neither a computer, nor an order picker, can make the decision that if broccoli looks seriously awful, to change plans & choose cabbage/chard/whatever instead .,.

Parnell

The precise time provides more certainty for example you can order on say a Monday for a Friday delivery, but within a 15 minute slot, so more convenient.

Shard

We used Occado for a while (now stand alone rather than Waitrose subcontractor)...it was an impressive app, but after a while it gets cumbersome when you have so many favourites and various specials pop up. We reverted to normal supermarket shopping, where there is the added advantage of seeing products you forgot that you need.

BristolUK

I made a comment on the weather earlier and how it might make online shopping more appealing.

However, what happens if you order Monday for Friday and on Thursday evening you discover that Thursday/Friday's forecast 10cm of snow has since been revised to 40cm of blowing snow and that your street is unlikely to be passable until late Friday night and even then you might be trying to climb over a snow bank because the city plow just passed.

Like this

Aviator

One issue overlooked so far with pricing and availability is that commercial vegetable production and sales in BC (includes imports) is controlled. This controls price & supply and is written in legislation.

Growing a few veggies at home for personal use is not controlled.

BC Vegetable Marketing Commission

The purpose is prevent deep discounting and keep prices up.

I believe a lot of folks coming from overseas underestimate the geography and climate here. There is a reason Pattisons have it set up the way they do. Jimmy is a pretty smart guy.

Parnell

How would you in turn get out of your house to go to a bricks and mortar supermarket?
But hmm lets see if snow van is a possibility???

scrubbedexpat091

And can't forget the portions of Canada not really accessible by land, if we are talking about the country as a whole the small northern communities could really use lower prices, but how would anyone get food there cheaper when air is the only viable transportation in and out?

Same with Alaska, some communities have no viable land route, everything comes in by air or in summer months by barge.....


I could see something working in heavily dense area's like central Vancouver and possibly the burbs of those city's, but not in the small rural places, let alone the isolated places.

scrubbedexpat091

Heck while it wasn't online back in the day and you ordered from a catalog and delivery was only once per week, we had grocery delivery in So. California when I was a teenager, even milk was delivered to us.

Was a specialty company doing it and not a mainstream grocer, but they were successful in their day, and if I could remember their name, they may very well still be around. They drove around in climate controlled 15' size truck.


At the hotel when I was still there, we got the Whistler price list once by mistake by a vendor, and oh my were the prices inflated, we thought we had it bad, but the premium to go the extra 50 minutes up the highway was insane.

Not food here, but hotel amenities are the same, buy from one of the limited Canadian suppliers, and you really get hosed. We did a great deal of ordering from US suppliers at the time since the exchange rate was favorable.

Whistler hotels seem to largely outsource their laundry based on all the laundry companies picking up towels, sheets etc and delivering clean ones, not sure if its the same out your way, but I am sure considering it's going to Vancouver they are charged a premium for it.