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Step 2, Groceries
prostoalex writes "Fortune magazine runs an article on New York - based FreshDirect, provider of high-quality groceries. Unlike Webvan, which failed with $1B of venture capital, FreshDirect seems to make pretty good money off online grocery sales - revenues of $225M are projected by 2004. The minimum order is set at $40, the company also charges $4 for delivery." If you want to check out their store, try zip code 10022.
Next thing you know we'll be able to order our dates online
The article seems to praise the company and it's good fortune, yet it lists no negative remarks. Personally, I would not buy from a food store online, just because I don't know *EXACTLY* what I'm getting. I'd be afraid that if this food was not properly packaged and delivered properly, that I could get some kind of disease or eat some bacteria that was growing on the food. Well.....who cares about stuff like that, 25% less in cost saves you a lot of money!
- - - - - Fear not the reaper, but my shiny white teeth.
I lived in Sydney, Australia, a couple of years ago. I tried a service called 'ShopFast'. It was the first time i'd used such a service, the main reason i was giving it a try was because i was too lazy to go and get groceries myself.
After ordering and waiting a couple of days, It was delivered and what impressed me was that I could pay by EFTPOS by use of a mobile EFTPOS terminal.
It was cheap, fast and I didnt have to go outside. Perfect for the geek that I am.
Be you Admins? nay, we are but lusers!
Ok, so I'm just a "Brand Ambassador" but I have been around the office and such. Their $50 free food promotion really catches people off guard. We really are just giving you $50 to try us free with no delivery charges.
While there are brick and mortor grocery stores that delivery, I gotta say the food I've been picking up from the warehouse beats anything else. I guess there is some truth in the fact that what they get does cut out the middleman making things fresher. The pastries are great. MMMmmmmm pastries, especially the fruit tart.
Plus I like getting the already cooked meals by gourmet chefs at rather dirt cheap prices.
Anyway, just thought some would like to know how the food is coming from there.
Also we're rolling out very slowly, we're not trying to cover the entire city at once. This was Kosmo's mistake as well as Peapods. It looks like we'll be doing well in the future, just wish it was going to be publicly traded. Oh well, I'll settle for the food I've been getting.
-- taking over the world, we are.
I live 1.3 miles from Kroger (closest grocery). There are no fruit stands, no butchers, or magical food genies on the "way back", as you so quaintly it. Everything must be bought at that location (as far as my living situation is). The high priced Circle K and Exxon on the route aren't an option, plus all they carry is the bare neccesities, at highway robbery prices. I don't buy just enough items for the meal, as you apparently do. Not only is that time consuming (that would take 45 minutes out of every day - 15 minutes each way, 15 minutes to buy - just for a meal), but fiscally wasteful. Items cost more when you buy them in the smallest portion. Maybe you're a rich guy, but most of us aren't. I eat everything I buy, rarely do I waste any food. Also, I like making my own food, and I like the savings that come from it. And taking the bus? That would involve me taking off from work to catch one of the 2 stops on the route that would make it feasible for me to use. Understand, not EVERYBODY has a neighborhood layout as convenient as yours.
Plus, on the way home from work for me involves crossing the street, it's not like I can just pick up stuff on the way.
We've had online stores in the uk for about a year now, maybe 18months. Initially, I think Tesco started off with a home delivery service, and its still going strong.
Later, other large stores have joined in the fun, incluing Asda (recently bought by WalMart), Sainsburys, and others (that I can't think of right now).
So really, I don't see how this is news for everyone.
Dirk stood in the Stanley
In the UK most of the major supermarkets have internet shopping. For 5 quid you get it delivered to your door in a refrigerated van.
Despite how cool this whole idea sounds, we still trudge down to the actual store, pick the stuff by hand and get a cab back (which costs about 4 quid).
Why ? Well we tried it several times from different supermarkets and each time something was wrong - things missing, food with a same-day sell-by date and the van turning up hours late...a right bugger if you were staying in to wait for it. The missing items were either just missing or marked "out of stock". We refuse to believe that the supermarket has run out of bread and bananas.
So we'd have to go to the shops anyway to pick up the missing stuff anyway.
Also, they will select replacement items if something is out of stock if you wish. However the selection is usually made by the store surrealist and not too helpful. Sorry, we're out of cheese, so we have selected some curry powder and a mop as a replacement.
The United States is _designed_ so you need a car to go shopping, which few exceptions (Manhattan being one of them). Where I have lived, I have always been able to get my groceries on foot, and we're not talking 7-11s here, we're talking real grocery stores.
I have not only done my shopping without a car for a full month, but for, say, ten years. Sure, it's a ten-minute walk to the store. So what? It takes me longer to get to and from the garage anyway.
The real killer is grocery stores in the subway stations, where you can pick your stuff up on your way from work without a minute of detour. I haven't used them, though, as I prefer to walk to a store, even if it's a mile or so away.
I do all my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart these days. It's a little farther to drive than the other stores, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper. The same stuff (almost literally, same brands and all) that costs $100 at Publix costs about $70-75 at Wal. Winn-Dixie is closer to Wal's prices, with the "value card" (yeah, yeah, privacy, blah, blah...but they don't do address verification, you just fill out the sheet and get your card right there, so as far as they're concerned, I'm Joe Smith from 123 Main St. in Boise, Idaho... ;) ) but it takes twice as long to shop there since half their inventory is a week past the expiration date (I swear to God one of their salamis tried to bite me once. Luckily it hadn't managed to grow any teeth. Yet...) Wal's also open 24 hours, which is nice for a night owl like me. Only downside is the aisles are crammed with pallets and carts of inventory at that time of night, so it can be rather hard to navigate...I had to walk half the length of the store one time when I found myself on the wrong side of the aisle and every space between the middle islands was blocked by pallets...
The other downside to Wal-Mart is their selection is somewhat limited, but they usually carry everything I'm looking for, so it's not a big deal for me. Oh, and they can't sell beer after midnight. Damn blue laws...
DennyK
in Toronto callled grocery gateway that provides the same service at comparable prices... and not only has it secured a large amount of investment it has been around since about 1997 and is growing successfully.
(no this is not an advertisment)
I've been buying online from Sainsbury's (www.sainsburys.co.uk) for most of this year - on the insistence of non-geek friends who told me how convenient the service is - and I'm very happy with their operation.
If you don't like a substitution you can always get them to change it, or check the paperwork at delivery time and refuse to accept it. I have had a few problems but the overall convenience of the service far outweighs them. In any case they do seem to be learning as they go along, and the service seems to be steadily improving.
Toby Poynder
London UK
Is that not the case in the US? Don't the main supermarkets do this as standard?
Cheers,
Ian