Ordering Groceries Online

August 13, 2010, By L.H. Owen 0 comments

A gallon of Tuscan whole milk on Amazon has received over 1,000 joke reviews so far. (“This milk worked well when I first got it, but within a few days it wouldn't hold a charge,” “Has anyone else tried pouring this stuff over dry cereal? A-W-E-S-O-M-E!”)

But seriously, you really can order a lot of groceries and other household products online these days—even, in some places, a gallon of milk. Here are some places to start.

Online Supermarkets

More supermarkets are allowing you to order groceries online (including meat, dairy, ice cream, and other perishable goods), especially in larger cities.

• FreshDirect is an online-only supermarket for those living in the New York City area, as well as some parts of New Jersey.
• Peapod, is available in parts of the Midwest, New England and the DC Metro area.
• AmazonFresh is a new program for the Seattle area.
• Netgrocer.com delivers nationwide, but its selection is limited.

Many traditional supermarkets (like Safeway and Foodtown) now also let customers shop online, so it can’t hurt to check your local store’s website and see. The online shopping process obviously differs by price, ease and availability, so you won’t necessarily be able to get a pint of Ben & Jerry’s delivered in time for a midnight snack. But services are expanding every day.

Household Goods

Visit Alice.com to buy home goods—everything from toilet paper to laundry detergent to coffee beans—directly from the manufacturers (read: The prices are comparable to what you’d find at the local CVS, there are coupons, and shipping is free). The site’s interface makes shopping easy and actually (dare we say it?) fun, because you can drag and drop products onto your virtual shelf. Got babies? Diapers.com, a site founded by two dads, sells not just Pampers but also formula, toys, and tons of other baby stuff, with free shipping.

Finally, while you may not want to buy the aforementioned gallon of Tuscan there, Amazon.com Grocery offers an ever-increasing selection of dry goods and gourmet treats, and its “Subscribe & Save” feature just might ensure that you never run out of paper towels again.

You Can Really Buy That Online?

Melissa’s Produce sells unusual and hard-to-find fresh fruits and vegetables in season (ever try burro bananas? cactus pears?), along with less perishable stuff like dried chiles and herbs and spices. Heritage Foods USA is your new go-to source for grass-fed beef, Red Wattle pork, and other sustainable meats from independent farms.

Cheese aficionados should check out Murray’s and Zingerman’s. And at eCreamery, create your own ice cream, gelato, or sorbet flavor, then have it shipped to your door.

Not surprisingly, these perishable specialty foods don’t come cheap, and you’ll almost definitely have to pay extra for expedited shipping. But keep them in mind for special occasions.

L.H. Owen is a contributor to Six Apart Media.