18: How-to: Online Shopping, Home Delivery, and Self-Pickup Service

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Question: During the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to avoid crowds. But what if I want to buy something or eat outside?

 💁Tracy:  If you can rely on a good internet, you can shop or dine without going out. Here are some examples of online shopping (we are not endorsing or recommending these merchandises, but just using them as examples for the explanation. Detailed charges and services vary during the pandemics. Please check each vendor for specific charges and delivery details). Please refer to our article “3: Disinfecting Takeout and Deliveries” https://tracysguide.blogspot.com/2020/04/3-disinfecting-takeout-and-deliveries.html on how to disinfect these items when they arrive at your home.

  • Choose businesses with good reputations.
Some popular online grocery shopping merchants are: Amazon Fresh, Costco, Whole Food, etc. Pay attention to whether there is a membership fee or a Prime fee. Shipping cost may be increased if you do not have a premium account.

Self-pickup service and online shopping are also available for many grocery retailers such as Kroger, Safeway, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Costco, etc. Please check with your local stores to see details of their online delivery.

Auxiliary medical supplies provided by small drug stores:
  1. Walgreen: free shipping with any order
  2. CVS: free shipping, 1-2 day delivery time
Restaurants and local specialty supermarkets:
  1. Restaurants can deliver meals within a certain distance, but the delivery charge will be added plus tipping as usual;
  2. Some local specialty supermarkets may ask you to order in advance with self-pick later. Their delivery is normally for large-quantity orders only.
For other goods such as clothes, household goods, pet supplies:
  1. Almost all shopping malls and specialty stores have online shopping and home delivery services. 
  2. Home delivery is usually free for orders above a certain size. Otherwise, $5-10 will be charged for delivery. 
  3. Many stores also allow free returns within a certain period of time. 
  4. However, during this special time, the time for delivery and return will be longer than the normal time. 
  • Pay attention to shipping class, method and time. Usually, the faster the delivery time, the higher the prices.
All the above-mentioned businesses have ways to keep things fresh by using ice packs, ice bags, etc. If nobody is at home, you may not want to leave the goods outside too long.
  • Save the order information.
Especially for clothing orders, save order information, packing box, return order etc., and pay attention to the deadline for returns, which may be different during the pandemic.
Writing: Vicki Cheng & Jingyi Xi; Translation: Xiaoming Dong; Proofreading: Alice Cai. 

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