Grocery Delivery During Covid-19 Pandemic
You may have access to Instacart, Shipt, and Walmart Grocery delivery or curbside pickup where you live. If not, it’s worth looking into during this crisis. There are some things you can do to make your Grocery Delivery a safe one as well as keep the shoppers and delivery contractors safe from anything you may have contracted.
A big tip for online grocery shopping right now: shop just before midnight and when the clock strikes twelve head for the checkout. That should get your order to shoppers first thing or first in the queue for curbside.
Ten things you should keep in mind when shopping for grocery delivery or curbside pickup:
- Allow substitutions on EVERYTHING. Don’t be picky! Only shop for what your family needs but be OKAY with anything the shopper may have to pick for substitutions. BONUS: Sometimes substitutions are additional quantities like an 18-ounce package versus a 12 one you ordered!
- Be okay when the shopper can’t find something and it has to be removed from your list. This goes for both delivery and curbside!
- TIP EXTRA. When Instacart or Shipt shopper begins you may get a text: respond that you are okay with all decisions the shopper makes and the best place to leave your groceries. Don’t ask for additional services! Don’t be rude!
- Keep a running cart in your shopping app so you can be ready for the midnight chime.
- Keep a plastic tub of disinfectant wipes near the door to wipe down any plastic and glass food containers as you remove items from the bags.
- If receiving cardboard boxes; just leave that outside and remove everything into your own containers as you bring them in the house.
- Know that you are paying an extra average of $.20 cents per item (and more) for Instacart delivery and curbside. If you use Shipt for Target orders, you are paying Target prices (benefit of Shipt/Target combo).
- If you order delivery from Walmart, you may pay for delivery (make sure you TIP extra) but you will always pay Walmart prices!
- The best and most inexpensive method is ordering via Walmart.com and using a curbside pickup. There is no tipping and no contact.
- Stop hoarding – you are making it difficult for others to get the basic supplies of bread, tissue, and disinfectants.