The commissary is considering a bunch of shopping upgrades, including letting people buy groceries online with curbside pick-up, as well as creating an app that would allow you to real-time price compare with other stores, according to this story on Military.com.
Order online? Curbside pick-up? I don’t have to get out of my car?!
Commissary for the win!
While commissary home delivery would be far and away more fabulous, commissary officials have told us such a service is unlikely thanks to cost limitations. So we can give up hope on that for now.
But what about this curb side pick-up thing? As someone who has never ordered groceries online, I don’t know how comfortable I would be about doing so for my weekly trip. But I can definitely see myself using such a service for those days I realize, yet again, that ohmygosh I forgot to buy chicken for the chicken dinner I’m serving.
It happens.
The online ordering thing should be in place, at least at pilot locations, by next spring, commissary officials said. According to the story:
DeCA is “working vigorously” on this, he said. It already has tested the concept successfully with sandwich orders at the Fort Lee commissary. It also has tested pre-ordering and pre-payment processes using its Guard and Reserve onsite sales program which bring limited commissary orders to drill units in more remote states like Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota.
The online order concept will be more fully tested next spring, again at Fort Lee but also at one or two other locations. If successful, it could become worldwide by fall next year. Online orders will be Monday through Friday only, Jeu said, when it makes the most sense for working families.
The other changes, such as the price comparison app and an idea to change some commissary stores to Costco and Sams Club warehouse, will take even longer to pilot. You can look for those within a year or so.
I think this all sounds fabulous, although I’m skeptical about the roll out timeline given the extra year it took for them to deliver on the commissary coupon card.
Tell us – would YOU use a online ordering/curbside delivery option? Take our poll and check out the results below.
About Amy Bushatz
Comments
After the store here underwent its renovation our prices went up to coincide with the fancy new digital price tags. I can only imagine they will swear this won't raise prices, but it will.
Shopping in town is much cheaper than the commissary, they have better service, and much nicer produce. They would have to do a lot to win this family back. Considering the rude service we ALWAYS get there, I don't think I would trust them to do curbside or delivery service.
produce at the commisary is the worst! I completely agree. Unfortunately, our ownly other option here is Walmart and they aren't much better. It's lose lose.
only*
I seriously doubt that. Myh wife and I wne to the commissary a few weeks ago and they had 90% lean ground hamburger 90c less than in town and cans of cat food 40c less than in town. I've never had bad service. When I was stationed in Long Beach shopping at the commissary saved me an average of 25% ove out of town.
We are at Fort Hood, the service is terrible, the produce is terrible. HEB is cheaper, with better produce, not taxes on food or pharmacy products, and they will bag and take your groceries to the car for free. AND HEB is often cheaper than Walmart on items like laundry soap. They take their coupons, and manufacturer coupons, and have off brands. They require all of their employees to start at the bottom and work their way up. It takes three interviews to land a job as a bagger. They fire, or demote rude employees. Employees profit share and take pride in their store. At the commissary I have witnessed on several occasions, cashiers making fun of customers for using coupons, or being on WIC. HEB hands down.
The prices in the commissary, Cherry Point N.C., are very reasonable, the service is friendly and hospitable, not rude, the produce and meat selection is excellent. Rocky
If they manage to pull it off well, it could be pretty amazing. Although I'm not sure how many people have ever taken advantage of similar curbside services offered off-base. Love how the commissary has become a lot more progressive lately, just hope they keep following through!
It would have been nice after having my second child. No family, husband deployed, newborn and toddler, and a c section. I would have paid anything to have that kind of convenience. In my area we have a few grocery stores that do it or offer home delivery, but with a convenience charge/delivery charge, and the groceries are more expensive. It wouldn't make sense for every trip, but when you are sick, or have a newborn, or other situation like that it would be wonderful.
No, I would not like shopping on line. I am able to to drive and I enjoy looking at the new products…and taking my time to investigate the merchandise. BUT, IF I WERE DISABLED, I would really appreciate the ability to shop on line….but I would like to have it delievered also.
I guess it'd be OK if they shipped non perishables but for a retired Guardsman who lives too far from any base, it just doesn't matter. Now, if they would open one at my joint Army-Air Guard base…….
It depends on the policy/rules for the people selecting your groceries in the store. If I feel they are selecting the best produce, etc., I would use the service sometimes.
I would use the curb side pick up probably all the time I have never had any problems with the commissary in the past 28 years.
I wouldn't use curbside pickup because I like to grocery shop and to see what's available, but I had a wheel-chair bound co-worker that used a local store that provided the service. She would send her list and pick up the items on her way home from work. Would be a nice service for anyone with limited mobility or a time constraint.
What about us retired, disabled personnel who live way out in the boonies? I live 4 hours from Norman Ok base. How would this work for us? There are many retired, reserve, guard personnel who do not desire to live on top of a base or near a town. I could not see any way any of these solutions would help us. We get stuck every month having to spend an average of $400 – 500 per month just for me and my wife. Anyone have any help for us,, and not just smart a– answers.
Use your coupons. Watch for the big sales, Make use of the sidewalk sales if they have them… watch the time of month you go shopping. l would say move closer to the base but not everyone likes to live that close to have easy access to it.
Plant a veggie garden, and buy a half a steer from a local rancher. Do you hunt? Make it a goal to get and fill all your deer tags. People forget that we don't have to get all of our food from the grocery store. We can self provision as well. :) Getting some of your food from the source can really knock the bills down. Plus, it can be fun…
hells yeah I would save so much money
I limit most of my purchases to fresh foods… Nothing out of a box. Sadly, the Commissaries on Fort Carson and Peterson AFB have really poor quality produce. :( I would have to shop every day, since it goes bad so quickly. That would be financially prohibitive, since both bases are 15 mins away, and I can walk to the nearest King Soopers. Oh, and my King Soopers has amazing produce.