Peapod

Let’s talk about a company whose business has exploded during the COVID-19 pause:  PEAPOD.

Peapod is the delivery arm of Stop & Shop.  They have 22 “warerooms” across the Stop & Shop service area, processing thousands of orders each week.*  They allow customers to select a delivery time up to two weeks in advance.  

With the COVID lockdown and uncertain social interaction, we and everyone else are trying to get Peapod deliveries.  Amy started attempting to get a delivery time in Mid-March.  It took until 6 am on Mother’s Day (May 10) to get a delivery opening for May 23rd.  It also helps that we had a $20 off and 60-day free delivery coupon - delivery normally runs $7-$10 - so that makes it a valuable coupon.

Once you fill your cart and finalize your order, you lock in your delivery timeslot.  You can modify your order right up until the day before your delivery.  On the day of delivery, each order is individually packed by an associate, before being loaded onto a truck and dispatched for delivery.

Enough background.  Let’s talk about the experience.  Of course, the experience of logging on daily to try to get a delivery was frustrating, but after the first success, we have not had any trouble jumping in for another slot in 2 more weeks.  Hopefully, as life begins to normalize, so will the availability of the delivery schedule.

The delivery arrived as scheduled.  

The produce that had been selected was exceptional in size and quality.  Better than I think I would have found in person myself.  The meats that were selected as well exceeded what we might have been able to select in person.  The convenience, of course, was great, the driver backed in the truck, collected our groceries from the various totes and freezers, and carried them up to the front door.  The value was acceptable - always want more for less, but that is not always possible.  All supermarkets have cut sale items as the inventory has been fluid and uncertain, so all food shopping has become more expensive.  We continue to use their service every two weeks.

Of course, we were disappointed with the shortcomings.  We had several issues.  Most were related to the fact that their online inventory is not live and compounded because there was no packing list with the delivery and the receipt was not available online.  There is an approved equal that the computer or the associate substitutes when required.  There is a checkbox on each item’s page to disallow substitutions.

Out of stock were: Yeast (there has been a nationwide shortage), Sliced Deli Ham, Pork Tenderloins, Frozen Crab Cakes, and Crystalized Ginger.  All of these were listed as ‘in stock’ the day before and the afternoon after the delivery.

Also inventory-related, we ordered a 20oz. package of ground turkey and a 16oz. was substituted at the same price.  Amy ordered Starbucks Verona and the Dark French Roast was substituted.

And nothing to do with inventory:  The Italian Bread was nothing like the image and was more the soft center, glossy crust style of Wonder Bread.  We gave the French Bread a chance with the next delivery: the same problem.

Amy called and after 45 minutes on hold, she was rewarded with $17 in a credit for the substituted meat, the bread, and substituted the coffee. I would have been happy with $3-$5, but the customer service rep took all the notes and did not even wait for an argument: 100% guaranteed meant if we were not happy, Peapod was not - period.

All in all, we are very happy with our Peapod experience during the COVID Shutdown.  If we will continue after the 60-day free delivery remains to be seen.

Thanks to Peapod for their help in researching some specifics of their operation.

* Stop & Shop is part of Ahold Delhaize with US$74.4 billion in supermarket sales worldwide in 2019.  Many of their US holdings use Peapod:  From the 2019 Annual Report: