Time is scarce when holding down a full-time job in addition to raising a family. Because of that reason consumers are switching from grocery carts to online carts and getting their groceries delivered to their doorstep.
Abby Neves is part-owner of Jibe Studios in El Cajon. Neves says grocery delivery has made juggling work with raising her three young children more manageable.
“I love to play with my kids,” Neves told NBC 7 Responds. “So, if we are at the grocery store it’s always…’Put that away. Put that back. Don’t touch that. But if I don’t have to go to the grocery store then that means more time at the park.”
But what about the cost?
According to the website, grocery delivery services typically charge a membership fee. In the case of InstaCart, that fee is $99 a year. Each subsequent delivery is free, but tips for deliverers are encouraged. For non-members delivery costs are tacked on to the order, more for those orders under $35.
Consumers can also sign up for Amazon Fresh, which for $14.99 a month can get groceries from Whole Foods delivered to your door.
Retailers such as Walmart have also jumped into the mix, offering free grocery pick-up and deliveries in certain areas.
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Neves says that any extra costs she pays is canceled out because shopping online removes any impulse buys.
“There’s no extra things in the cart, if you take three kids to the grocery store there is always extra things in the cart...if you take me to the grocery store there’s always something extra in the cart.”
Not only can it save money, Neves says it saves something much more valuable; energy.
“I don’t have to go to the grocery store which keeps me from being exhausted which keeps me from picking up the phone and ordering pizza for the night.”
Neves is not alone.
According to research by Bain and Company, online grocery shopping is projected to triple in just ten years. To date, Bain and Company found that 25 percent of those surveyed have used a grocery delivery service.
Miro Copic is a professor of marketing at San Diego State University.
“All the major chains are working really hard to give consumers a choice, either deliver it to homes or pick it up.”
Copic says millennials appear to be the majority of consumers using grocery delivery services.
“This is not going away,” adds Copic. “Consumers can submit their lists and groceries come in a few hours. It takes 15 minutes to put things away and that frees up a lot of time to do other things with their family.”
And as for the cost, Copic agrees that the services can save money as opposed to conventional shopping.
“Consumers always buy more when they're in a store. Regardless, whether you're in a department store or a supermarket, you're going to leave with more items than were on your list.”
