In today’s busy world balancing work and home responsibilities can be a somewhat daunting task. Working a full-time job, managing family activities, and keeping the house running seem to take more hours than are in a day. Shopping for groceries can be the activity that falls by the wayside in the hectic schedule.

It’s often easier to stop for fast food or grab take-out from a favorite restaurant than to spend the time shopping for weekly groceries. That’s where a grocery delivery service becomes helpful. When there’s no time in the schedule for shopping these services can save you valuable time.

Most areas of the country now offer some form of grocery delivery service. Some cities offer multiple services while some very rural areas may not yet have them available. Checking your local area for delivery availability is as simple as performing an online search for delivery services in your area.

How Does It Work?

Ordering from a grocery service is relatively easy. Most of them offer the option to either order from your computer or via an app on your smartphone. Some require membership before ordering. Usually, that means you create an account using an email address or cellphone number before getting started with an order. Some memberships do require a monthly or yearly fee while others charge a service charge per order.

After creating a membership, it’s time to shop. If you’re using a service that is specific to one store, you’ll simply choose your items from their inventory. If you’re using a service that allows you to choose your store, the first step is to choose a store, then choose items from their inventory. To complete the order, you’ll enter payment information, and check out like any other online order.

Once your order is placed, a shopper goes to work filling the order. Depending on your service, the shopper may also be delivering your purchases. Often, you’ll be given the opportunity to rate the service after you receive your delivery.

Popular Grocery Delivery Services

There are several popular delivery services available. Some of them are region-specific while others deliver nationwide. Here are three of the most popular grocery delivery services.

1. Instacart - Available nationwide, Instacart allows you to choose from a variety of stores in your local area. Instacart doesn’t require a membership, but you do have the option of paying a yearly or monthly fee to get free delivery on each purchase that totals more than $35. Otherwise, you can expect a delivery fee for each order. Pricing for your groceries will vary based on the policies of the store you’ve chosen for your purchases.
2. Wal-Mart Grocery - Currently, the delivery option for Wal-Mart Grocery is available in 46 out of 50 states. Pricing is comparable to the prices you’d find in your local Wal-Mart store. They don’t require a membership, but there is a minimum order of $30. A convenient feature of Wal-Mart Grocery is the ability to choose items throughout their inventory, not just groceries.
3. Shipt - Like Instacart, Shipt is available nationwide, and they allow you to shop from your choice of select stores. Membership with Shipt has a monthly fee of $14 or an annual fee of $99. With membership, an order of $35 or more will receive free delivery services. Less than $35, and you’ll have a $7 delivery charge. The convenience of using Shipt means slightly increased prices.

Is There a Downside?

Grocery delivery can be very convenient. Sometimes, there can be issues with the service. If the store is out of a product, you are at the mercy of your shopper for replacement products or refunded items. For the most part, you’ll have the option to approve any changes to your order. Occasionally, the lag time in online connections prevents you from receiving a notification resulting in the shopper being required to make a decision for you.

With most of the services, you’ll find that pricing is slightly more than what you see in a local store. Additionally, you’ll need to plan ahead in order to receive your groceries when you need them. The average delivery service offers same day or next day delivery, but not necessarily a specific time.