Why don't grocery stores put their inventory online?

[MrPickins]

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
Prices change every single day on stuff.

Exactly.

Too many products, too much volatility.

 

[Kaido]

Peapod delivers for Stop & Shop here:

http://www.peapod.com/

My concern would be the quality of fresh stuff like fruits and veggies - at the store you can choose the quality, but if you get delivery of fresh items, who knows what they're going to choose for you?

 

[polarmystery]

Originally posted by: MrPickins

Originally posted by: I Saw OJ
Prices change every single day on stuff.

Exactly.

Too many products, too much volatility.

I think this is a moot point because they get pricing updates electronically, then store workers update the price with paper stickers or what have you. They could just use the information for price changes to update their website and when you click "buy" you lock in your price for that moment. There can be a disclaimer saying the price changes daily.

 

[waffleironhead]

http://www.capcentremarket.com/

you can order online for delivery here in madison. I have never done it, but its available.

 

[trmiv]

I shop online at Harris Teeter. They don't deliver, but you just pull up to the front of the store, hit a button and they bring it out to your car. I guess I could use the site to comparison shop too.

 

[lokiju]

Publix used to have what they called "PublixDirect " where you could do your shopping online and they'd deliver it to your door for a premium.

That's about the only exception I can think of.

As far as I know they stopped doing it after a year or so of trial though.

Edit:

Ah it was for 2 years, they shut it down in 2003 after failing to turn a profit.

Link

 

[MBony]

Originally posted by: dullard
At least around here grocery prices change weekly (if not daily). I can't imagine the extra cost to input tens of thousands of rapidly fluctuating prices online. That, and it won't change sales much at all. Online groceries were tried before in the dotcom boom and failed miserably.

Grocery prices vary drastically from store to store. But, the difference doesn't change much over time (unless it is a weekly special, and you can just see that in the newspaper without going online). Just learn which store has what item cheaper. After that, you don't have to continuously check.

I'm not talking about doing online shopping, but rather online price comparison. If the items I needed were cheaper at one store this week, I would go there. I'm sure if would vary which store I would buy from, but I would still make the trip to the store to buy.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: MBony
I'm not talking about doing online shopping, but rather online price comparison. If the items I needed were cheaper at one store this week, I would go there. I'm sure if would vary which store I would buy from, but I would still make the trip to the store to buy.

The bulk of my post was about price comparison.

Let me try to make it more clear with examples. In my area, Walmart tends to price most cereals in the $2 range. It may be $2.75 one day, $2.67 the next, and $2.83 the day after that. The same exact cereals can be bought at Hy-Vee. Generally the price may will vary in the $3.25-$3.99 range as the prices change daily/weekly. Finally Bakers sells the same cereals in the $3.75-$4.50 range. Same size, same brand, same everything. Those three stores COULD put their prices online. But, even with frequent updating, it'll still never change the fact that Walmart is the best place in town for cereal. But the opposite is true for soft drinks. Walmart is usually the most expensive in town, even with daily/weekly changes in price.

Basically, you have to just write down or memorize the prices on any given day for the items you usually purchase. Then go to that store when you need that item. The stores generally either (a) vary enough that you can be sure that you are getting the best price like in my examples above or (b) are so close that it doesn't matter. Either way, you win if you do this. No online prices are needed.

Plus, are you really going to go online and type in your entire grocery list each week to multiple stores to possibly save a few cents here and there? Your time is far better off clipping coupons or working an odd job for cash.

 

[Modelworks]

I think they don't do it because the work doesn't equal the profit they would make from it. If lots of stores start to do it then others will follow. They also don't really want you to know all their prices before you get there. Stores sell far more stuff off the shelf to impulse buyers than they do to people that make a list and shop. In short, grocery stores hate people that only shop with a list.

 

[mgnwfy]

Originally posted by: lokiju
Publix used to have what they called "PublixDirect " where you could do your shopping online and they'd deliver it to your door for a premium.

That's about the only exception I can think of.

As far as I know they stopped doing it after a year or so of trial though.

Edit:

Ah it was for 2 years, they shut it down in 2003 after failing to turn a profit.

Link

I loved it so much. IMO their marketing team failed. They charged less then $10 for home delivery a service which I would pay 3x as much.

 

[JoPh]

shoprite has @home program where you can do your shopping online and pick it up instore.

i guess thats what you are looking for. ps... ever here of the weekly flyers?

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: mundane

Originally posted by: Flammable

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Baked
You know Amazon.com sells groceries right?

can of peas (1)....... $0.59

subtotal................... $0.59

shipping.................. $5.75

total........................ $6.34

:roll: Buy $25 for free shipping noob.

This item not available for Super Saver shipping.

amazon prime

Don't forget the 15% Subscribe & Save! You'll need those peas at least every other week.

do you get the 1% cashback from your credit card for groceries ?!

 

[oiprocs]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Baked
You know Amazon.com sells groceries right?

can of peas (1)....... $0.59

subtotal................... $0.59

shipping.................. $5.75

total........................ $6.34

:roll: Buy $25 for free shipping noob.

This item not available for Super Saver shipping.

QFPwnage

 

[Lonyo]

Because the US is backwards and slow.
In the UK most major stores offer online shopping, which also means they display their prices on the internet.
They also have numerous adverts anyway about how they price check against other stores.

Not sure why it's such a big problem for stores in the US to do the same.

 

[Nightfall]

Originally posted by: MBony
This would really help me out, and maybe that is why they don't do it. Is it because there is so much inventory? Do any stores do it? I'd love to be able to do some comparison shopping prior to going out. Would it be tough to implement and maintain?

There is a service that just started up close to me called Meijer Grocery Express.

http://www.meijergroceryexpress.com

You place the order online, specify a pickup time, and go pick it up at that time. I love this service and its cheap.

 

[wiredspider]

Since you are asking about prices, most stores have a weekly advertisement, so you can look at those. I just browse them and see which store has the most on sale items I need and go there. The rest of the items I need are usually similarly priced across the stores I visit. If there is a huge difference, I make a "mental note" and shop accordingly in the future. I can't imagine the cost savings from visiting multiple stores would equal the amount of time, effort, gas, etc you would have to put in.


As for there being many items with prices changing frequently. That information already exists somewhere, I mean how else would they be able to ring you up at the cash register? It would really be making an customer friendly interface for that information.

 

[alkemyst]

mygrocerydeals.com and couponmom.com can show you the key items each week.