Yesterday I tried out Walmart's new Grocery Pickup service and I was pleasantly surprised. I am not being paid for this post, but I wanted to share my experience because as a mother of little ones it really made my day easier.
The most time consuming part of the process was making my list, but since I already make a weekly list (I'm a huge fan of weekly meal planning), making a list on the Walmart site wasn't that big of a deal.
I made my list, chose a pickup time (I ordered late on a Monday afternoon so had to wait until Tuesday to get my groceries), and then hit order. To be honest, I had a brief moment of panic as I wondered if they would pick out decent produce. Also the app automatically chose "substitute items approved" without me noticing and I wondered if I would get a cart full of brands I didn't want.
I had until 2am to change my order and I actually did try to alter it (we had an Amazon order come in with some items I was out of), but when I went to change my Walmart order it wouldn't knowledge my earlier coupon code for $10 off and I was also worried that I was somehow going to place my order for my entire grocery list twice, so I cancelled the change and hoped for the best.
How It Works
The time slot I chose was 2pm-3pm. This was a time I would be out with my boys anyway. I was curious how this whole hour pick up time would work and whether my cold items would really be cold when I arrived.
Fifteen minutes before my time slot, Walmart called me saying my order was ready and I let them know that I was on my way. They told me to park in the designated area and to call when I arrived to let them know what parking space I was in.
I arrived shortly after 2pm and made my call. Within 5 minutes, they were carting my groceries to my car. They loaded my car for me and the woman who was working on my order when over every spec of produce with me (something I didn't ask for). She made sure all of the items were there, checked my eggs and told me she didn't get my zucchini because none of it looked good (and I would not be charged for it). She was incredibly friendly, choose better produce than I probably would have choose for myself, and answered all of my questions.
I signed off on receiving my goods and was told my receipt was accessible online. The entire pick up took 15 minutes. On arrival home, my food was all nice and cold – much colder than if I had shopped myself and waited in a check out line. We all know check out lines can take forever!
My only two negatives, if you can call them that, were that bananas were listed by the pound. I wasn't sure how many pounds I normally get – we typically eat a lot of bananas, so I guessed 3 pounds. Upon receiving my groceries, I discovered the shopper had picked out 3 large bunches of bananas for me. I was only charged for 3 pounds though, so I guess I will be making a lot of banana bread! Secondly, I wish there was a way I could use cloth bags instead of plastic, but logistically I can see how that would be challenging.
In regards to my receipt, the online receipt has a TC code that allows me to use still use my Savings Catcher app (review to come). However, I am still trying to figure out how to use it with the iBotta app (review to come). The online receipt is good for returns, and if there is a problem with anything in the order you call the phone number and deal directly with the pick up service (no painful customer service to contend with!). You can also purchase things that are not groceries.
Right now, first time Grocery Pickup customers received *$10 off their order at Walmart, use coupon code REALEASY. I was also given a gift bag for trying the service.
My shopping list is saved so future orders should be much quicker. I was impressed with this experience. As a mom of little ones, this made my day much easier.
If you are needing to free up some time in your life, I would recommend giving grocery pick up a try. If you aren't a Walmart fan, Publix offers a similar service.
*To use this service at Walmart, there is a $35 order minimum and no service fee. To use the discount code, you have to spend a minimum of $50. Happy shopping!
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