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Friday, September 15, 2017

'til I drop

One of my least favorite but necessary activities is "fetching" groceries. I try not to complain about it because of the starving people out there - first world problem that it is.  But I just typically find it so mundane, traipsing around the grocery store, checking items off my list, dodging the other shoppers.

Then there's the waiting in line to pay for the cartload.  I'm always in the slowest line.  Every.  Time.

However, it's better now than in the "old days".  Now, there are self-serve checkouts.  Plus, I'm old enough to remember when cashiers actually had to punch in prices for every item.  Lovely things, those bar codes!

Monday, I used Walfart's pickup service for the first time.  Go online, fill the cart, pick a time to pick up the stuff, and... voila!  A wonderful Walfart's employee wheels the goods out.

It worked just as planned.  I didn't have to go in the store.  I didn't have to go through any register line.  I still had to drive there, but all in all, it was a wonderful thing and didn't even cost extra.  Really, I had NO problem with the fact that someone else picked my bananas.  

This, I'm sure, is in response to the power of amazon.com.  Many actual retail stores - the ones that have been able to remain open despite the amazon competition - are jokingly referred to as "Amazon Showrooms".

Who here has tried something out in a store, only to go and get it cheaper off amazon?  Anyone?  Admit it?

I have bought groceries from amazon too, but still had to wait a whole two days, so I appreciate that amazon lit a fire under Walfarts, of which there is one about a mile from my house.  About a mile away in the other direction is a Whole Foods - now owned by Jeff Bezos/Amazon.  It's been quite a while since I've shopped at "Whole Paycheck", but I'm curious now to see what's changed.





I remember when amazon first showed up as an online bookseller back in the mid-90s.  What a great thing it was.  I figured it would give used book stores a lot of trouble.

And now look, what an understatement.






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Linking up with Mama Kat again for the prompt:
2.  Write a blog post inspired by the word: books



9 comments:

ShadowRun300 said...

Well how fantastic is that?! Fortunately my hubby does all the grocery shopping. I just send a detailed list. And I have him trained on how to pick the best bananas, because seriously, I DO have a problem with others picking my bananas.
I'll shop online for some things, but for clothes, I always like to try them on in the store. Unfortunately, I'm finding the stores don't always stock as much because people shop online. It's a vicious circle. Eventually I'll have to succumb to shopping more online. I suppose as long as there's free returns, I'll ok.

Jimmy said...

I have found a lot of things cheaper on Amazon than other places, I haven't bought any groceries yet though.

Abby said...

I agree about the clothes. It's hard to judge fit and fabric from an online photo, despite user reviews. And honestly, I don't feel right to try something on at one store and then order it online.
I was recently shopping for some shooz and declined the ones a salesperson helped me with. I think he thought I was going to go order them online, and I just wanted to tell him, "No, really! I just think these shooz suck!"

Abby said...

I really don't like grocery shopping. I've also tried instacart, but didn't feel it was worth the service charge.

Madamdreamweaver said...

Those are hilarious nicknames for Walmart & Whole Foods. "Whole Paycheck" is about right. Have one for Publix?

Abby said...

We don't have Publix here, but I have been there while travelling. Just not familiar enough to give it a proper name. :)

LL Cool Joe said...

Here in the UK nearly every household has their food shopping delivered to their home, at a time they choose etc. I personally quite enjoy going and doing my own shop, but I work nights so I have free time in the day.

Amazon are great.

Abby said...

The UK sounds wonderful, grocery delivery wise. All that rain, tho...

KatBouska said...

My sister does that store pick up and loves it!!