Industry analysts concluded that the cost of building up delivery networks across dozens of large metro areas rapidly ate into the already thin margins of the grocery industry. While these services were adored by some for their high-quality products and short delivery windows, they never became profitable. They invested heavily in sophisticated warehouses with automated inventory systems and fleets of delivery vehicles. Webvan and HomeGrocer-tried to revive grocery delivery for the Internet age. Then in 1989, Peapod-followed in the mid-1990s by companies like But with the advent of the fully stocked supermarket, with its broad selection of staples, produce, and specialty foods, customers shifted to selecting goods from store shelves and toting them home themselves, though in some cities local stores still offered delivery services. Customers often had basics like milk and eggs delivered weekly. In our great-grandparents' day, people could select items at a neighborhood store and then walk home empty-handed, the groceries to follow later, likely transported by a teenager on a bicycle. Grocery delivery isn't a new concept, of course. But this apparent simplicity depends on a complex web of carefully choreographed technologies working behind the scenes, powered by a host of apps, data science, machine-learning algorithms, and human shoppers. About 2 hours later, you watch a shopper, wearing a face mask, place bags on your porch. You click through your list of previously purchased items, browse specials, search for a new key-lime sparkling water a friend recommended, then select a delivery window. ![]() So you pull out your phone, fire up the Instacart app, and select your favorite grocery store. In short, you aren't going to make it to the grocery store anytime soon. Monday and Tuesday are jam-packed with Zoom meetings, and you'll also be supervising your children's remote learning. ![]() You need to restock your refrigerator, but the weekend crowds at the supermarket don't excite you. ![]() It's Sunday morning, and, after your socially distanced morning hike, you look at your schedule for the next few days.
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