Grocery Shopping

[Sunset]

I went to the Other Costco this time as I was out trying to buy a transport wheelchair for a relative.
At this other Costco, I found they had lots of toilet paper with a clear sign of limit 1.
So I bought one.
Seemed like there was lots of other stuff available, didn't notice any shortage.
Filled up on gas at $2.25/gal since I was there.

 

[athena53]

I heard Costcos in some provinces (not Ontario where I live) have certain sections of the stores blocked off (not for sale) and they can only sell essential items. Maybe this is a Canada thing, not sure. There was an outcry from small businesses/retailers because they had to close their businesses but big retailers like Costco and Walmart were still open and selling non-essential items.

It never made sense to me that you could buy clothing, books, jewelry, etc. at Costco but not at independent stores that sold those things. That meant part of the traffic at Costco and similar stores was people ambling through the aisles, frequently blocking them with their giant carts, browsing for non-essential stuff. I have a favorite place where I buy wild bird seed. I cautiously returned when they opened back up. I'm in and out in something like 5 minutes, 100% mask compliance, many times I'm the only customer in the store.

Which is "safer"? I'm in favor of letting the smaller retail stores stay open or blocking off similar goods at the big box stores.

 

[Amethyst]

I read that Michigan tried forcing the big box stores to cordon off "non-essential" goods so people couldn't buy them - I guess out of solidarity with the smaller stores that had to close? Anyway, it was extremely unpopular and I don't think it lasted very long.

It never made sense to me that you could buy clothing, books, jewelry, etc. at Costco but not at independent stores that sold those things. That meant part of the traffic at Costco and similar stores was people ambling through the aisles, frequently blocking them with their giant carts, browsing for non-essential stuff. I have a favorite place where I buy wild bird seed. I cautiously returned when they opened back up. I'm in and out in something like 5 minutes, 100% mask compliance, many times I'm the only customer in the store.

Which is "safer"? I'm in favor of letting the smaller retail stores stay open or blocking off similar goods at the big box stores.

 

[yakers]

From NYT:
Grubhub Will Deliver Girl Scout Cookies Amid the Pandemic

Wow, someone is thinking out of, well, in the box

Brilliant marketing

 

[pb4uski]

Our stores don't seem nearly as A-R about cleaning carts, counting noses before entry, forcing social distancing (like one way traffic arrows), etc. as even a month ago. I think we've gotten blasé about Covid. It could be our relatively low (but still elevated) numbers. I'm still looking out for myself. YMMV

I think what part of it is is that the current thinking is that the transmission risk from contact surfaces is much lower than previously thought. We've seen on the golf course that foam inserts in holes are gone, ball washers and water stations and sand trap rakes are back, etc.

 

[Sunset]

My Peeve on touching:

While officials say the risk of covid from touching things is extremely small, this is because in all to nearly all cases of covid, they cannot rule out aerosol infection.

So there is no evidence of transmission from touching objects.

Then they hedge their declaration by saying to wash your hands.
If you cannot catch it from touching things, then no need to wash the hands any more than normal and no need to mention washing hands.

I still wash my food with my diluted bleach spray, and wash my hands more than normal.
Maybe I'm wasting my time.

 

[rk911]

do what you think is necessary and don't be concerned with what others say or do. personally, i have no problem picking up items from a bin or shelf...organic or not. i put them away in cabinets, the fridge and freezer straight from the bag. and i am washing my hands no more and no less than i was before all of this started.

 

[MBAustin]

With the hospitals near capacity, I've decided to try to cut indoor interactions as much as possible for a few weeks (at least). So I did my first curbside grocery order yesterday. It took longer to complete the online order than to physically shop for it as the products in most categories appeared in essentially random order. But I will say they did an excellent job picking the produce (just as picky as I normally would be) and I got everything I ordered with only 1 substitution (½ gallon of milk instead of the quart I ordered). So I think I'll stick with it for now.

 

[REWahoo]

With the hospitals near capacity, I've decided to try to cut indoor interactions as much as possible for a few weeks (at least).

Exactly.

Neither DW or I have been inside a grocery store since the middle of March. With the current increase in infections and hospital beds in short supply, we've decided to become even more reclusive. No more monthly visits to Costco during geezer hour, which was the only time we stepped inside a business other than a quick dash into a Chinese restaurant to pick up takeout. With the opportunity to get vaccinated within the next few weeks a real possibility, there is absolutely no reason to not take every precaution we reasonably can.

 

[timo2]

Exactly.

Neither DW or I have been inside a grocery store since the middle of March. With the current increase in infections and hospital beds in short supply, we've decided to become even more reclusive. No more monthly visits to Costco during geezer hour, which was the only time we stepped inside a business other than a quick dash into a Chinese restaurant to pick up takeout. With the opportunity to get vaccinated within the next few weeks a real possibility, there is absolutely no reason to not take every precaution we reasonably can.

Same here, except I had to go in a Costco to the Hearing Aid place back before Thanksgiving. Our virus rates were low for a bit at that time. While I was there I picked up a few things. 10:30 am on tuesday went OK, so I tried again in between holidays. But now virus rates are sky high, so no way for a return trip. But COSTCO just started curbside service here, so we will try that. The COSTCO markup on Instacart delivery is just too high for us. Sprouts is better, from the Instacart POV.

 

[ivinsfan]

With the hospitals near capacity, I've decided to try to cut indoor interactions as much as possible for a few weeks (at least). So I did my first curbside grocery order yesterday. It took longer to complete the online order than to physically shop for it as the products in most categories appeared in essentially random order. But I will say they did an excellent job picking the produce (just as picky as I normally would be) and I got everything I ordered with only 1 substitution (½ gallon of milk instead of the quart I ordered). So I think I'll stick with it for now.

Where do you go..if you used Walmart once you buy something it shows up in your lists and it really speeds up the ordering process.

 

[MBAustin]

Where do you go..if you used Walmart once you buy something it shows up in your lists and it really speeds up the ordering process.

After this tip and another I received by e-mail, I poked around on the HEB website and found that I can bring up a previous order and check off items to be reordered. I can also create lists for things I get regularly. So I guess it gets better as you use it.

Also found that they waive the $4.95 fee (at least at my store) if you schedule more than 2 days in advance (which means having your order completed and paid for by then, although you can make minor changes). So I guess I will now do menu planning and ordering on Mondays for pickup on Wednesdays, because I am too cheap to pay $5 if I don't have to...

 

[iloveyoga]

Where do you go..if you used Walmart once you buy something it shows up in your lists and it really speeds up the ordering process.

I got a message from Walmart this morning saying they had my list ready for me! I have not had a chance to look at it, but I am curious what they put on the list.

 

[Amethyst]

Not cheap, just a good planner. The $5 is punishment for poor planners!

So I guess I will now do menu planning and ordering on Mondays for pickup on Wednesdays, because I am too cheap to pay $5 if I don't have to...

 

[ivinsfan]

I got a message from Walmart this morning saying they had my list ready for me! I have not had a chance to look at it, but I am curious what they put on the list.

It would jusr be your most often purchased items grouped together. Then you just click add to current order.. for me it's bananas, half and half, and eggs....

but Walmart has a list of previously purchased items as well. I can do an order for 10 days in about 10 minutes.

 

[iloveyoga]

It would jusr be your most often purchased items grouped together. Then you just click add to current order.. for me it's bananas, half and half, and eggs....

but Walmart has a list of previously purchased items as well. I can do an order for 10 days in about 10 minutes.

Yes, I like using their on-line service. I try to get everything I can there.

 

[Sunset]

I foolishly and recklessly went into a Walmart. And saw something.

Inside Walmart they have these people walking around with large carts holding the blue boxes on them.
They tend to move slow and use a phone like gadget to see what the order item is, and scan it when they put it in the bag (in the box).

It was interesting to see, and less efficient than I thought it would be. I'm thinking it takes a person 1/2 to 1 hour to pick my order.
So this saves me a LOT of my lifetime by doing curbside.

 

[ivinsfan]

I foolishly and recklessly went into a Walmart. And saw something.

Inside Walmart they have these people walking around with large carts holding the blue boxes on them.
They tend to move slow and use a phone like gadget to see what the order item is, and scan it when they put it in the bag (in the box).

It was interesting to see, and less efficient than I thought it would be. I'm thinking it takes a person 1/2 to 1 hour to pick my order.
So this saves me a LOT of my lifetime by doing curbside.

That's just the half of it,after picking it gets taken to the pickup area and sorted ie frozen,refrigerated,pantry, by bin.they aren't all blue. Then put on a trolley and loaded in your car after you drive up. I don't understand how Wal-Mart does it for free with a 35 dollar order. It's also amazing they never get anything wrong..

 

[sengsational]

That's just the half of it,after picking it gets taken to the pickup area and sorted ie frozen,refrigerated,pantry, by bin.they aren't all blue. Then put on a trolley and loaded in your car after you drive up. I don't understand how Wal-Mart does it for free with a 35 dollar order. It's also amazing they never get anything wrong..

I'm amazed too. In the old days, they'd open the minimum number of registers (I presume to save paying a cashier) to spend 1 minute scanning my order. Now, they still need to scan it, but also wonder around to get the exact items I specify...got to take at least 10 minutes. So labor cost has got to be 10 times higher.

One place they might make it up is limiting what you can buy. For months, we could only get the small or single roll Bounty (DW is a PT snob). One day I dawned the N95, and was greeted by a full shelf of big multi packs of Bounty.

Also, it's weird that they'll offer non-grocery items (DW mentioned makeup), then claim it's out of stock. Stuff in the garden center, you can add it, but probably won't get it. So here's a hint, if you come in at $30, put a couple of bags of garden soil at $2.69 each on your order...I guarantee they won't pick it

 

[ivinsfan]

Sensg, YMMY according to your local Walmart... I've gotten everything from a sink plunger to an exotic light bulb with no problem at all.

My local WM has a bunch of younger think college age or so guys working the pickup area. I like to try and read their names so I can thank them by name. At least half my pickup times they move so fast I can't even clock their name tags.

 

[Amethyst]

Haven't been inside to watch the shoppers, but my experience with pickup is the same. They are out there with those trolleys of blue baskets, groceries plunk into the trunk, "Have a good day" and they're off! No time to look at name tags.

My college job was in the school bookstore. Inside of three days, I knew the shelf stock so well I could find any book with my eyes closed. A Walmart is bigger - might take me a week to learn the layout.

Sensg, YMMY according to your local Walmart... I've gotten everything from a sink plunger to an exotic light bulb with no problem at all.

My local WM has a bunch of younger think college age or so guys working the pickup area. I like to try and read their names so I can thank them by name. At least half my pickup times they move so fast I can't even clock their name tags.

 

[harllee]

At my Walmart pick up site the workers always tell me their names so I can use their names in the WM surveys--they get some sort of bonus if they get good surveys.

 

[ivinsfan]

At my Walmart pick up site the workers always tell me their names so I can use their names in the WM surveys--they get some sort of bonus if they get good surveys.

Well in that case I'm going to ask them for their names when they rush by my window...

 

[ivinsfan]

Haven't been inside to watch the shoppers, but my experience with pickup is the same. They are out there with those trolleys of blue baskets, groceries plunk into the trunk, "Have a good day" and they're off! No time to look at name tags.

My college job was in the school bookstore. Inside of three days, I knew the shelf stock so well I could find any book with my eyes closed. A Walmart is bigger - might take me a week to learn the layout.

I've seen yellow, red and green baskets in the past, I thought they used it to sort by product type..last pickup the people two spots down had an order of about 10 or more baskets.. the biggest one I have seen.

 

[Sue J]

We are still doing Walmart grocery pickup and it’s been great. On our last order I asked for a 6 pack of Bounty paper towels. They were in stock when I ordered but out of stock by the time they picked the order. So the substitute was a 12 pack instead. But it was at the 6 pack price!

WooHoo!