how to order groceries during Covid lockdown

With the increasing spread of the coronavirus, meal companies and supermarkets are fast embracing deliveries. This is to avoid people flouting the compulsory social distancing that had been put to place to reduce the chance of contracting the virus. For ordering of groceries, the best option to use is online deliveries. This is because online ordering is not only an effective way to avoid coming into contact with an infected person but also helps to make shopping easy. But before ordering your groceries online, ensure you already have a list of the things you will be needing. Below are some of the best online platform to shop from:

Instacart

Instacart charges at least $3.99 for delivery fees. It also offers the option for pickup. Instacart delivers to all 50 states in the United States. Once you place your order, Instacart employs a contractor to shop from retail supermarkets such as Publix and Costco. If some of the things in your list is out of order, Instacart notifies you on this. You can easily remove whatever is unavailable or replace it with something else. Unlike other online apps, Instacart does not shop directly from a warehouse. In a press release, it was stated that Instacart is “continuing to provide personal protective equipment to all active shoppers with health and safety kits that include face masks and hand sanitizer.”

Shipt

Unlike Instacart, Shipt only offers deliveries to selected states. When you open the Shipt site you will be required to fill in your membership option which includes $99 a year or $14 a month, including free deliveries of orders over $35 or more. If your orders include alcohol, you will be charged an additional fee of $7. Shipt delivers very fast and covers more than 200 cities. Shipt also makes use of independent contractors like Instacart. When an item is missing, the shopper reaches out to you and discusses alternatives. 

Walmart

Walmart offers deliveries throughout the United States. The charges on deliveries depend on when you want the items to be delivered to you. To make delivery easy, Walmart has made it possible to place your order ahead of time frame. Once you do, Walmart will send an email to you discussing alternatives in case an item is missing. Each item is picked from a Walmart store close to your residence but delivery is through a third-party. 

Peapod

Peapod is owned by the Shop and Shop chains of supermarkets. It is only available in the northern area of the United States and covers only areas around Chicago. Delivery fee is dependent on the size of your order and range from $6.95 to $9.95. However, the store picks up is free. The groceries are delivered by special drivers and packed in “special temperature-controlled containers.” When an item is missing, Peopord replaces it automatically with another.