Grocery Shopping Online

by A. E. O'Neill

Originally published February, 2000 in the Vancouver Sun

It's monsoon season in Vancouver — or as I call it, Not August — and the last thing you want to do is leave the cathode glow of your monitor and the lumbar support of your desk chair on a hunting-and-gathering expedition through rush hour traffic on your way home.

We all have different comfort levels with technology, and how we use it to organize and enhance our lives. Some people may never bank online, but would think nothing of making a major purchase on eBay. Others book vacations, but won't shop on Amazon. Depending on your taste, online services can be the ultimate convenience, or impersonal and frustrating.

One realm of service that will surely be welcomed by the wired community, and probably win many converts, is the food delivery business. I look forward to the day when wading through twin yellow pages, waiting on hold and those depressing food fair excursions (which play like a tour through the International Museum of Grease and Salt) are a thing of the past.

So far, very few local restaurants have taken advantage of the benefits of establishing an online presence. Following the less-is-more school of design, Sushi Express was a great excuse to remain chained to your desk during those brief daylight hours before the holidays. Unfortunately, much to the dismay of anyone who had the pleasure of ordering from them, they have taken a hiatus until further notice.

What they offered was the ultimate online service: affordable, convenient, dependable and of a quality rarely associated with the word "express." They will be sorely missed by workaholics in the downtown core. Let's hope that their hiatus is short-lived (note to deep-pocketed investors out there: now's your chance!) and that others will soon follow their lead.

If you're anything like me, the four food groups were probably reduced to take-out, leftovers, chocolate and caffeine over the holidays. Luckily, the simple modern luxury of having meals brought to your door while you lounge in bunny slippers has expanded to include ingredients and condiments.

Better still, they are available on the Internet in abundance. If Old Testament-style weather and the unholy stench of the average downtown parking garage have you trembling at the thought of going grocery shopping, online urban delivery could be the answer to your prayers.

Signing up for one of the many organic services that have cropped up recently — urbanorganics.com, organicstoyou.com and greenearthorganics.com, to name a few - could be a great way to improve your diet and reduce those dreaded after-work errands. My favorite is small-potatoes.com. Their site is informative and intuitive, with full sign-up and ordering capabilities, and their delivery staff and customer service personnel are unfailingly punctual and friendly.

The produce itself is fresher and tastier than genetically-altered brands and the selection varies each week to include stuff you love, stuff you need and maybe even stuff you've never heard of. Sign up for their weekly delivery of seasonal fruits and vegetables and you may find yourself staring into the fridge after you've eaten all your favorites, wondering, "What can I make with parsley, beets and a kiwi?"

General grocers are beginning to offer a wide spectrum of supermarket products online, as well, such as Thrifty Foods (www.thriftyfoods.com) and Dairyland (at www.dairyland-home-service.com). You'll find a wide and well-organized selection and options for delivery area and times. If you prefer to patronize local businesses, Stong's Markets (at www.stongs.com) offers same day delivery to the Lower Mainland on a minimum $25 order.

There is a flat fee of $10 — about the same amount you would pay for one hour of parking and the Venti mocha that fuels a regular downtown shopping trip.

The smaller markets offer a bit of everything, but the options are sometimes a little bizarre (four flavors of seasoning salt and no pepper?). Until more grocers get into the game, you might find that buying the basics over the Internet is more convenient, but for more exotic items, it's no substitute for a stroll through the aromatic aisles of Urban Fare.

Now that you've got all the necessities coming to you in a van, you'll be tempted to hibernate all winter, but it might be wise to wait and see how DotComGuy (www.dotcomguy.com) fares as he tries to prove that one can exist on net and credit alone.