It's grocery time! If you're the grocery shopper for your family, you know how much work it can be to find the best prices and figure out which grocery store has what. It takes hours of research just to get started on your grocery list.
But with grocery delivery services like Instacart or Shipt, you don't have to worry about any of that. With grocery delivery services, you simply need a few clicks on their website or app and they'll deliver all of your groceries right to your door in as little as an hour!
This page is going to give you some essential terms and definitions so that next time you order groceries online, there won't be any confusion around what "bagged salads" means.
The process of grocery shopping involves going to the store or ordering online. This post will discuss the definitions for some common terms related to this industry:
A
Aldi Grocery Delivery Service: A grocery delivery service by Aldi, Inc. that offers grocery deliveries in as little as two hours.
Amazon grocery delivery service: A grocery delivery service by Amazon, which offers grocery deliveries in as little as two hours.
Availability: the available delivery area for an online grocery delivery service.
B
Brick-and-mortar: A grocery store that operates in a physical location.
C
Costco Grocery Delivery Service: A grocery delivery service by Costco, Inc., which offers grocery deliveries in as little as two hours.
CVS Grocery Delivery Service: A grocery delivery service by CVS Health, which offers grocery deliveries in as little as two hours.
Coupons: Discounts on grocery products purchased from a grocery store, offered by either the grocery retailer or a grocery coupon company.
Carnivore: A person who eats meat.
Carnivore Diet: A diet that is based on the consumption of meat, animal by-products, and sometimes fish.
Curbside service: grocery delivery service that requires the grocery store to deliver into a customer's driveway.
Contactless Delivery: In the wake of Covid-19, contactless delivery became a critical feature of grocery delivery services, and means "zero contact" with the delivery driver. For example, Instacart has a "leave at my door" feature.
Compostable Grocery Delivery Packaging: grocery delivery packaging that is made from materials that break down into soil over time.
CSA: Community Supported Agriculture, grocery delivery service that offers grocery items in return for an annual membership fee.
D
Dumpling: the "Uber" of grocery delivery: Dumpling allows individuals to "start their own grocery delivery service," by becoming personal shoppers.
E
e-Commerce: Shorthand for "electronic commerce." The process of buying and selling goods or services via the internet.
EBT: Electronic Benefits Transfer is a government program that disperses grocery money to grocery stores on behalf of grocery shoppers.
F
Food Co-op: grocery store that offers grocery delivery services.
Free grocery deliveries: Grocery delivery services that do not charge for grocery deliveries.
Farm-to-table: grocery delivery service in which grocery stores buy and sell grocery produce that is grown on nearby farms.
G
Grocery Delivery: A service where you can order your groceries online and they are delivered straight to your home! You don't even need to go out into the cold anymore!
Groceries: Food items purchased from a grocery store for home cooking.
Grocery Shopping: The act of going to the grocery store or ordering online, which can be done with grocery delivery services like Instacart and Shipt!
Grocery items: food items that are grocery related such as a bagged salad for an appetizer on side dishes like pasta and pizza.
Grocery list: A document or app created to compile grocery items for a specific grocery shopping trip.
Grocery delivery app: An app that grocery stores offer, which offers grocery shopping and grocery delivery services.
Grocery store website: A grocery store's online presence where grocery products and grocery delivery services are available.
Grocery Delivery Fees: Delivery fees incurred for grocery deliveries.
Grocery Delivery Tips: Tips for grocery shopping and grocery delivery for your driver.
Grocery Delivery Driver: The person who delivers the grocery items to the grocery store for pick-up.
Grocery Delivery Packaging: The materials used to package grocery items and grocery deliveries. It can be grocery store-branded packaging or plain brown paper.
H
Halal: A food that complies with Muslim dietary laws, including not eating pork or shellfish, as well as other requirements such as keeping meat and dairy products separate when cooking.
I
Instacart: An online grocery delivery service where you can shop and get your groceries delivered to your door in as hours.
In-store Pickup: A grocery pickup service available at grocery stores where you can order from the grocery store website and pick up your groceries in-store.
J
Jet: a defunct grocery delivery service.
K
Keto: The practice of eating high amounts of fat and protein, as well as low carbs.
Kosher: A food that complies with Jewish dietary laws. This includes not eating pork or shellfish, as well as other requirements such as keeping meat and milk separate and using the heaviest foods first.
L
Local Delivery: A grocery delivery service that provides grocery deliveries to a customer in their local area.
Local food: Food grown or produced locally.
Local grocery stores: Stores in your local area.
M
Misfits Market: an online grocer that wants to make online grocery shopping affordable and environmentally friendly. They work directly with the farmers to source all of their food.
N
O
Online Grocer: A grocery store that operates exclusively online, with grocery delivery services available.
Online Grocery Store: A grocery store where you can order your groceries and grocery delivery using grocery delivery services.
Online grocery ordering: The act of ordering grocery items from an online grocery store.
Online grocery shopping: The process of searching for grocery products and services on the internet, either via a grocery website or grocery app.
Online Grocery Delivery Service: A grocery delivery service that is conducted on the internet, either via a website or mobile app.
Organic produce: grocery produce that has been grown without the use of pesticides, fungicides, or synthetic fertilizers.
P
Peapod: A grocery delivery service that offers grocery deliveries in one hour.
Prices for grocery deliveries: The cost of grocery delivery services and grocery items.
Personal Shopper: someone who performs shopping tasks for another individual.
Produce: fresh fruit and vegetables.
Price Match Guarantee: A guarantee offered by grocery stores, grocery delivery services or grocery coupon companies that they will match the price of grocery items offered by a competitor.
Q
R
Retail: 1) The process of selling grocery items in a grocery store, either via brick-and-mortar or online. 2) purchasing your grocery items in person.
S
Safeway Grocery Delivery Service: A grocery delivery service by Safeway, Inc. that offers grocery deliveries in as little as two hours.
Shopping cart: the online list of your grocery items where you store your order before purchase.
Shipt: An online grocery delivery service where you can shop and get your groceries delivered to your door in as little as two hours!
Smart shopping lists: shopping lists that are dynamically updated based on your shopping preferances to provide a personalized grocery list.
Soy: A plant-based product used as a meat substitute or dairy product alternative.
Same-day delivery: A grocery delivery service that offers grocery deliveries within a few hours of the order being placed.
Shopping cart: the online list of your grocery items where you store your order before purchase.
Service fees: grocery delivery service fees incurred for grocery deliveries.
Service area: the areas served by the company.
Shipping / Shipping costs: some grocery delivery services charge a shipping rate, either a flat rate, or a per-mile rate.
Skip an order: some providers will let you skip your weekly order via the app or website.
T
Tracking orders: typically online grocery stores give you the ability to track your order online so you can see when it will arrive.
Tipping: A monetary gesture of appreciation for good service or performance. Tips aren't required, but often appreciated by the delivery driver.
Target Grocery Delivery: A grocery delivery service provided by Target.
U
V
Vegetarian/Vegetarianism: A person who does not eat meat. The practice of not eating the flesh of any animal, but still consuming dairy products and eggs for sustenance.
Vegan: A person who does not consume any products that come from animals, including milk, eggs, and honey.
W
Walmart Grocery Delivery Service: A grocery delivery service by Walmart, which offers grocery deliveries in an hour.