Every month or so a fantastic catalog arrives in my mail for Yummy.com, a grocery delivery store. And every time the nearly edible pictures convince me to place an order – until I see the prices. But how much more expensive is Yummy? And does the time savings make up for higher prices?
To be fair, I thought I would compare Yummy’s prices to Albertsons, which sent me a (much less attractive) flyer yesterday. Below, Yummy prices are listed first followed by the Albertsons prices. The cheaper of the two is bolded.
Artichokes – $2.99 ea v. $2.50 ea
Cucumbers - $.99 ea v. $.50 ea
Red peppers - $.99 ea v. $.50 ea
Kiwis – $.50 ea v $.33 ea
Russet potatoes - $3.98/10lb v. $3.99/10lb
Sliced ham – $9.38/lb v. $4.99/lb
Ground beef – $4.49lb v. $3.50/lb
Ground turkey (20 oz) - $3.99 v. $3.99 (tie)
Halibut – $18.65/lb v $9.99/lb
Breyer’s ice cream – $5.99 v. 2/$6
Sliced bread loaf – $4.99 v $2.50
Orange juice – $3.99 v. $3
Yogurt (32 oz) – $4.29 v. $2.50
Cheerios (18 oz) – $5.29 v $4.99
Sugar (5lb) – $3.99 v. $2.79
Fiji water (24 5-liter bottles) – $25.99 v $23.96
Pacifico beer 12-pack – $12.99 v. $11.99
Yellowtail Chardonnay – $7.99 v $9.99
If I bought all these items from each store, my Yummy tab would come to $121.47. (Delivery is free because my Yummy tab exceeded $100.) My Albertsons tab would come to $95.01. That means shopping at Yummy is 28 percent more expensive.
Buying groceries through Yummy saves time, however. To get every thing I need at the grocery store takes me 60 minutes at Albertsons plus 45 minutes if I also run to Trader Joe’s. Calling an order into Yummy’s would probably take no longer than 15 minutes, though this is a guesstimate because I have not done this.
So I stand to save 90 minutes each week using Yummy. Is that worth the $26.46, or $17.64 per hour?
Not for me. What about you?
June 10th, 2009 at 9:33 am
I believe that delivered groceries are more for convenience. For people that don’t like grocery shopping and want that extra time, then this is perfect for them. Of course, if you are looking for a bargain, then going to the grocery store would be the way.
June 10th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Also, you also need to take into consideration that places like Yummy probably won’t take coupons, where Albertsons will. That will also lower your food costs. I believe that Albertsons also delivers.
I can see someone who just had a baby or surgery or just really busy using this kind of service, but it isn’t for the average person.
June 10th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Remember though that when you were comparing them you were looking at the sales flyer for Albertsons. You would assume that those prices in general should be less than other stores that do not have those items on sale. The approach that was taken here would only be valid if you only shop the sales, but milk isn’t always on sale, and neither is bread. To make this a fair comparison you would have to take a standard list and see how much it would cost at both locations. This should honestly be done for multiple weeks to accurately compare them (considering one week could be surprisingly more favoriable and it be a statistica oddity).
You also must consider the fact that when shopping online you will not make the unplanned for purchases (such as the candy bar in the checkout lane or that new body wash that happens to be on sale but you don’t need). Reducing the impulse shopping will assist in cutting down on costs. This can also be easier for people trying to follow a healthier life cycle.
Finally, another benefit I can think of is that if you are planning out what you are going to make for the week, you can look up the receipe instead of guessing and having to run out again.
Just a few things to consider when comparing the cost/benefit of online shopping with shopping in the grocery store.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Ashley, these are all great points that work in favor of ordering groceries through a catalog, except for the impulse buys. Have you seen the Yummy catalog? Everything looks SOOO good that I’m tempted to try a few new products.
June 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Vons & Ralphs have delivery in most areas. You can get their advertised prices and delivery. Depending on how much you spend and how flexible you are on delivery times, delivery can range from $0 to $10 (I think). You can shop by list or down aisles. It can be heaven sent for some (parents with very fast toddlers, people recovering from surgery, etc). I don’t know that I would be comfortable with buying fruits/veggies without seeing but most staples wouldn’t be an issue.
June 10th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
It’s a time saving thing. I personally wouldn’t order fruit/veggies and least of all fish, unless I could actually see it You have to be home to get your delivery of perishables. Can’t see Yummy leaving your fish on the doorstep until you get home from work.
Would be OK for canned goods and cleaning stuff I suppose, but you’d have to spend a bunch to get home delivery.
I’ll pass.
June 11th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Due to conflicts with my calendar, usually I spend time in Phoenix (among other realtives) taking care of a 87 and 90 yer old aunt and uncle.
Thankfully, they are in great physical condition (long-time ballroom dancers, post Vaudeville performers), and I have several care companions who visit the house during the day.
However, my aunt is a real pill when it comes to groceries. So, I am experimenting with Safeway’s on-line shopping service. In the Phoenix market, Alberetsons has a different owner (not Supervalu) and discontinued on-line shopping as well as locally-owned Bashas. Fry’s (owned by Kroger and sister to Ralph’s and Food 4 Less does not offer the service near where the house is located).
What I have found is that the service (so far) has worked (three orders), they honor specials in the ads (which I can see on-line) and accept coupons (although the doubling of them has been a problem, resolved with a call to the store) and my aunt says the products have been what we have ordered, and the perishibles are will within code dates.
With the high heat in Phoeniz during the summer, the Safeway option has been great, if for the very reason, they use refrigerated compartments on their vans/trucks, which is a source of comfort to me as far as food safety is concerned as older people are more prone to illness.
I don’t like the price for delivery, it varies between $9.95 and $12.95 for orders less than $150, and a two-hour window based on time during the day of the window. I would rather pick the four hour window, but my aunt gets nervous that her groceries will not show up, let alone the four hour window, so for now, I’m on the two hour window.
Kudos to Safeway, it is working and deliveries have been on-time.
So far, her stress level is reduced (somehwat) knowing that I know what she likes and needs vs. having to ask someone else to go out and get this or that. Of course, if she needs something, one of the attendants will pick up the item, but we are trying to limit this.
I am going to give Yummy a look, but my hunch is that it will not be less expensive than the likes of Wal-Mart (with price matching) and Winco, but am interested in the unique items they carry. Sounds more like Supervalu-owned Bristol Farms and Gelson’s, both of which are local chains in the Los Angeles area and possibly Whole Foods.
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