Do you? Have you? Will you?
A recent article in TIME indicates that Whole Foods and Harris Teeter are starting pilot programs here in the U.S. like some already popular overseas by distributors like Tesco. They're a hybrid of the traditional you go to the store, buy everything, and bring it home scenario and the full service delivery model that began 20 years ago in major metro locales but flopped in all but the high density urban areas. In this new version, you order online and pickup at a depot--which from the retailer's perspective enables about 20 pickups an hour vs. the three deliveries averaged when customers are miles apart. (Of course, delivery would remain an option--for a fee.)
A startup called Relay Foods on the east coast is already working it, and with enough success that they've expanded from its home base in Charlottesville to Williamsburg and Baltimore. What's made it particularly attractive to consumers is that 30% of Relay's groceries are sourced from local suppliers. The downside? Loss of spontaneity--orders to Relay have to be placed at least 13 hours in advance. How much of a problem is that to most? Not much perhaps. Relay says it is adding 1000 new customers per week.
I live so far out of town that I don't see myself even having the opportunity to use a service like this here, but I did try local delivery a few times when we lived in Huntington Beach. Like maybe: twice. Too hard to plan in advance, and I don't buy much in the way of package goods. Also, we have few routines in any department that would 'help' me out by delivering X, Y and Z every Monday, say. Which leaves mostly meat and produce, things I was also reluctant to trust selection of to a third party.
But if any of you here are doing this where you live, I'd love to hear how it's working out for you.