The Covid Pandemic pushed us towards eCommerce retailers, and it is a good thing. Nearly two-thirds of Indian households are buying groceries online.
The increasingly convenient and personalized experience of online shopping is making us ditch traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Consumers are shifting towards doorstep deliveries for both groceries and household goods.
As a consumer, you should evaluate all the available options and decide the best place to buy groceries online. At the end of the day, quality and cost savings are all that matter!
What are the challenges in online grocery shopping?
Before we jump into the actual benefits of online grocery shopping and finding the ideal retailer, let’s take a look at some of the pitfalls you should avoid as a consumer.
● Food safety
Proper packing is crucial for the quality of a food item. This small yet significant detail also becomes critical in maintaining safety. Especially in this new model of doorstep delivery, retailers have no control over the factors that could affect the food items. For instance, the delayed delivery time would prove detrimental for both hot and cold products.
As a consumer, you must be aware of the packing details. It would be worse to find out that the detergent got mixed with ready-to-eat foods because of poor packing.
● Product quality
You must always shop for quality grocery items. Be sure to opt for retailers who maintain their store-level quality. In addition, packing protocols are also essential to ensure optimal quality for all grocery products. I.e., you don’t want your bread to be crushed by the rice bag.
● Security
As discussed earlier, security is the primary concern in the post-pandemic world. The virus is out there, and customers should be aware of that. Delivery personnel must follow safety protocols heedfully when handling and handing out items. This security concern also applies to food items. A structured pickup process is vital to deliver the groceries safely.
● Partners
Make sure to check the delivery partners of a store before you buy groceries online. Uncontractors delivery personnel presents a risk for safety and quality. Online delivery stores should disclose details about their delivery partners and keep the customers informed. You can also check if the store has legal resources to pursue unauthorized partners.
Why buy groceries online?
If you are still one of those people who choose to drive to a store, wait in queues for hours, and deal with a whole lot of hassles to buy groceries, here are some reasons to buy groceries online.
● Convenience
The entire eCommerce system is geared towards consumer convenience. Instead of confronting real-world scenarios, you can order essentials through a smartphone app. Retailers will deliver the items within hours with neat, clean packaging. Most importantly, you will get hours of leisure time.
● Cost savings
Nothing is better than saving a few rupees on groceries. Online shopping enables you to take advantage of discount coupons and seasonal sales to lift the weight off the bills. Moreover, most well-known retailers offer free delivery for customers.
● Fewer hassles
Remember the time you nearly reached the house and realized that you forgot to get the wheat flour? Buying groceries online eliminates such conveniences by allowing you to revisit the cart any time. You can add new items or delete existing ones as per your wish. This feature helps in avoiding impulse buying as well.
How to decide where to buy groceries online?
Now, we get to the ultimate question - which is the best place to buy groceries online? The answer to this question is simple, but it involves some work.
● Product pricing
It takes a bit of shopping to find where the lowest prices are for an item. Everyone looks to save money on groceries, and comparing prices will prove helpful. One way to choose an online store is filtering out stores based on the price. However, it is not always good to buy cheaply priced products.
● Convenience
Next, focus on the convenience offered by a store. Always choose a retailer who takes hours to deliver a product than the one that takes days. Location plays an influential role in dictating the delivery time, so look for shops within close proximity.
● Variety
When it comes to buying groceries online, you can find endless varieties here than the actual stores. Therefore, choose a delivery service providing an ideal level of variety. Their inventory should consist of all the essentials, along with some rare picks. This factor will eliminate the need to make stops at a store for one specific item.
Online grocery shopping made simple!
Grace Super Market is your one-stop store to buy hundreds of brands for your groceries. We quality check every item leaving for delivery to ensure that you get the best value for your money. Shop today and get your groceries delivered in no time.