We used Peapod [1] online shopping and delivery for our groceries for the first time this week.
The Peapod delivery concept is pretty simple. You create your shopping order online at Peapod [1], select a delivery time, and they deliver your groceries to your door.
Sounds great, right? Let’s take a closer look at the Peapod delivery service.
My Peapod Review
Overall, I was impressed with our first order. The Peapod delivery man was prompt and very friendly. He took the time to explain how everything worked and chatted with us about the Peapod [1] service.
Peapod sent along a welcome gift with lots of fresh fruit, so we could try various produce. Everything was fresh, including the bananas, which are always terrible at Costco and our local grocery store.
I was happy with the overall cost, which I saved money on for our first order, but I’m going to have to try it some more to see if the entire order price, with the cost of delivery and tip, can consistently beat our local options.
Peapod Price Comparison
The Peapod [1] sale prices were pretty comparable to our local sales. I went through a few months of old receipts to compare best prices and didn’t find much difference.
The difficult prices to compare were for fruit and vegetables. Our grocery store prices produce by the pound, whereas Peapod prices by the item, so I’ll have to keep an eye on that category for awhile.
Peapod Fees
Since the sale prices were in line, the break even point is going to be based on the delivery and tip. Here are the Peapod delivery fees:
- Spend over $100.00, the delivery charge is $6.95.
- Between $75.00 & $100.00: $7.95
- Orders less than $75.00: $9.95
There was also a fuel charge of $0.58, and we tipped the delivery man $10, (which I have no idea if that is reasonable or not, as we’ve discussed before, how much should you really tip? [2])
Peapod Discounts
To offset the fees, you can take advantage of various Peapod discount codes. We were able to cover all the fees with the following Peapod coupons:
- Peapod promotional code. Peapod offers a promotional code for $10 off for first time shoppers [1].
- Facebook. The Peapod Facebook site has Peapod coupons (like the recent $5 off $20).
- Delivery Discounts. Selecting an expanded delivery time is $2 off each order.
- Payment Discounts. Pay by check and get $1 off each order (although it may be better to use a cash rewards credit card [3]).
- Free delivery. After your first order, they give you a Peapod coupon for free delivery for the next 60 days.
How to Save Money with Peapod Groceries
After you factor in all the fees and take advantage of the Peapod [1] promotions, I did find some additional ways to make Peapod delivery worthwhile:
- Sort by Unit Price: My favorite item is the sort by unit price. Always get the cheapest item without having to look at everything in the store.
- Any Coupons: The Peapod grocery delivery man told me that they will accept any kind of coupons, including Target or our local grocery store, etc. I haven’t been a big fan of couponing since I swore off super couponing [4], but if I can look for the coupons after I place my order, there is much more appeal.
- Upromise: Peapod also gives you credit for your Upromise [5] account.
- Avoid impulse shopping. There’s no need to play the supermarket mind game [6] where you have to walk to every corner of the store to cover bread, milk, meat, and produce and pick up miscellaneous things that catch your eye while you walk by.
- Running Total. While I was shopping, I saw that my total was nearing $120. However, our weekly budget is $100, so I was able to review my list and remove some items I didn’t think we really needed. Try doing that at a grocery store! This was huge for me, because we all know that groceries are where our money seems to leak out of our budget.
- Referral program. You can refer your friends to Peapod [1] and you both get $10 off.
- VIPea loyalty program. If you use Peapod [1] frequently, you can also qualify for their VIP program. I’m not completely sure what this entails, but I’ll ask our driver next time. I’ve heard you can earn free delivery coupons with the VIP program.
My Favorite Peapod Perks
- Smart Shopping. For future orders, you can pull up a list of all the previous items you purchased that are currently on sale. So each week, it should go faster.
- Nutrition. They have filters for food allergies, healthy foods, and weight watchers, so you can sort by price and keep an eye on the nutrition. My biggest concern when shopping by price, is compromising nutrition, so it’s nice to be able to easily do both.
- Cooled Delivery Bins. The delivery man let me know that we can call him if we won’t be home, and he’ll just leave our groceries in coolers on our porch, which is fantastic!
- Change Your Order. If you’re like me, you get home, and realize you forgot something at the store! The best part about Peapod, is that you can log in up until 11pm the night before delivery and change your order! You can add, delete, or change. My husband also liked this option, so he could add in some munchies after I placed our order!
Peapod Overall
Did I mention, I didn’t have to drag 3 small kids to the grocery store? That right there was probably worth it!
Overall, I was really pleased with the Peapod [1] service. If you’re willing to put in a little legwork, it looks like you can make the prices comparable to local options. I’ll have to work on comparing the prices to buying in bulk [7].
Since we’re going on vacation next week, I’m going to try it again, and schedule a delivery for the day we get home. That will be fantastic, because there’s nothing I hate more than getting home from a long trip, and having to run to the grocery store to restock the fridge!
Have you tried Peapod? What did you think?