Recently, another blog article mentioned ordering groceries on Amazon.com. Aside from the occasional order from Penzey's Spices www.penzeys.com, I rarely consider ordering food online, although I am pondering ordering some grass-fed beef. Having some friends that registered for their wedding at Amazon, and needing to come up with gifts at some point, I wandered over there. And while I was there, I clicked over to the grocery section.
I wasn't impressed. Everything I might order was either more expensive or comparable to the prices I find at BJs for bulk foods. And most items weren't things I purchased regularly - or ever. For example, one boxed item we do keep on hand is Annie's macaroni and cheese. We both like it, and it's an easy, cheap meal.
The price at Amazon was:
Annie's Homegrown Shells & White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese, 6-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)List Price:$26.32Price: $18.80
You Save: $7.52 (28%)
Whereas the last time I bought it at BJs, it was $16.99 for a 12-pack. Even with the free shipping, not such a great deal.
The only feature I found fairly impressive was Subscribe & Save which allows you to receive scheduled deliveries of frequently used products at a 15% discount plus free shipping. If Amazon had items that we used regularly, I might take advantage of this. I could see where it might come in handy for new parents, as the idea of delivered groceries, plus their excellent selection of baby-care items make it a great option.
I was particularly impressed that they carried the entire line of Seventh Generation diapers, wipes, as well as adult-care items. I'm going to have to check some of the local prices for SG paper products to determine if what they offer is a good deal.
All in all, Amazon.com for groceries wasn't a good deal for us. But if you use a lot of the products they sell, and you want them delivered regularly - especially you sleep deprived new parents, Subscribe & Save could be a good deal for you.
As an aside, for parents going the disposables route, consider Seventh Generation products:
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Natural-Baby.
3 comments:
tushies is an even better alternative then seventh generation disposables
http://www.tushies.com/
I don't have any firsthand experience with which to debate the relative merits of one all-natural disposable brand over another. But in the context of the post, tushies weren't available on amazon, and Seventh Generation were, hence my focus on them.
I think anyone who chooses a better, earth friendly disposable is to be lauded. Brand notwithstanding.
We've used 7th Gen diapers and wipes for my son since he was tiny. (When he was born, they didn't carry size NB and he was a little guy, so we went through a couple packs of "regulars.") We love them: no leaks, great fit, no silly powdery smell or cartoon characters, and the compromise of the convenience of disposable with some environmental perk. We use cloth on the weekends but with 2 full-time jobs, we have to use 'sposies during the week.
I use Amazon's S&S program and love it. It's by far the cheapest I've found for 7th Gen stuff and I use the auto-ship so I don't even have to think about it. I really like the program.
Post a Comment