why is online grocery shopping in sg so bad?

[payalebar]

Has anyone tried the online sites for local supermarkets? Carrefour dont appear to have any so that leaves the other two suspects.
I was unimpressed: while the site works ok (if a little uninspiring) the range of products is laughable: a fraction of whats in the store. Now I know that supermarkets prefer you to turn up in person - but is'nt there a market for online grocey shopping?
Have I missed the point somehow?

...Mark

[Kubes.SG]

Don't forget that Singapore is still a developing country. 

It does not have the resources or expertise to provide social security to people in need;  cannot afford consumer protection against unscrupulous retailers; provides no pension for senior citizens; most Singaporeans cannot afford a car and the country cannot even afford the TV rights for the upcoming soccer World Cup.  With these challenges, it is unlikely the online grocery shopping would be much of a priority.

[true true]

I use NTUC for heavy stuff - they're supposed to be starting delivery of fresh stuff but I don't think that's happened yet.  They're OK most of the time with the odd experience when they're a bit rubbish.  They do things like tell me there's no washing powder in stock and when I go to the nearest store they've got loads of it (which means their delivery depot is out of stock I guess, but still, it's not very good).

The other thing they do is say they'll be there between 1 and 4 and then show up at 4.45 with stuff missing!

[TheReason]

The reason why online grocery shopping is so bad here is because if ppl didnt go to the supermarkets to shop, they would have nothing to do all day 

[Bartie]

Doubt there's much demand for it.  If people can't be bothered to go themselves then they can send the maid.  Plus many locals (the majority market) like the wet markets etc.   I find many of the fruit vegetables in the supermarkets to be a bit off/wilting - wouldn't like some Auntie choosing for me.

[$Pripps]

online ordering is in general not big here because most things are max 20 min away with taxi and they often have home delivery so it just doesn't pay to spend money designing a web site for such. that said, the web sites they have are just alibi sites so they can say they have an online site but function-wise leave a lot to wish for.

[Online shopping]

I used Cold Storage internet shopping in my last trimester of pregnancy and after delivery and it was a lifesaver. However, I found the website slow, stock limited, and after I placed my order I'd always get a phone call from them saying such and such is out of stock, would I like to substitute another product. You also have to trust them to pick out all your produce, but with CS I found they did a pretty good job of that. I was overall happy with the quality. It also happened to me where the item was in stock in other stores, just not in the depot. Delivery was reliable, except each week at least one cockroach would stow away in the boxes, and that was a bit of a PIA.

[Cairnhill]

I used to go to Carrefour to pick up the heavy and/or bulky items, i.e. washing powder, toilet papers, oil, juice, coke, sparkling water and they will deliver it to my place, free of charge(I buy quite a fair bit each time).

The chore is, having to pick up the items myself, drag them to the customer service, fill up the form to arrange for delivery. Its not funny when you have 30 large bottles of coke and sparkling water, and 4 5L of detergent in the trolley!

Nowadays, I do it online via cold storage. I'm charged $7 for delivery but I figured my taxi fare will cost more than $7. That is for non-perishable food.

I prefer to pick up my own fresh food in supermarkets.

[cokealot]

I used to go to Carrefour to pick up the heavy and/or bulky items, i.e. washing powder, toilet papers, oil, juice, coke, sparkling water and they will deliver it to my place, free of charge(I buy quite a fair bit each time).

The chore is, having to pick up the items myself, drag them to the customer service, fill up the form to arrange for delivery. Its not funny when you have 30 large bottles of coke and sparkling water, and 4 5L of detergent in the trolley!

Nowadays, I do it online via cold storage. I'm charged $7 for delivery but I figured my taxi fare will cost more than $7. That is for non-perishable food.

I prefer to pick up my own fresh food in supermarkets.

WOW, 30 bottles of coke and sparkling water - thats a helluva lot, how can you drink that much 

[Cairnhill]

Its actually about 30 bottles of coke zero, 10-12 bottles of sparkling water and 4-6 packs of juices. We used to get stares when we pushed the trolley to the customer service counter, to arrange for delivery. These are for 1-2 months consumption, depending on how much guests we have over at our place.

My bf don't drink still water at all, and consume about 1 bottle of coke zero every 2 days. And yes, I have told him that its not healthy...

[on the money]

online ordering is in general not big here because most things are max 20 min away with taxi and they often have home delivery so it just doesn't pay to spend money designing a web site for such. that said, the web sites they have are just alibi sites so they can say they have an online site but function-wise leave a lot to wish for.

Spot on Pripps - taken the words out of my mouth.

[that's why]

online ordering is in general not big here because most things are max 20 min away with taxi and they often have home delivery so it just doesn't pay to spend money designing a web site for such. that said, the web sites they have are just alibi sites so they can say they have an online site but function-wise leave a lot to wish for.

Spot on Pripps - taken the words out of my mouth.

Actually online ordering is quite popular.  sometimes when there's a big event coming up like Christmas, Deepavali or CNY you can't get a delivery for about 2 weeks after placing your order because they're all booked up. 

A 10-20 min taxi ride is all very well but what do you do when the taxi pulls up outside your condo and you've got to lug 10 bags full of heavy stuff into the lift on your own?

That's why I, and many others use online shopping.

[fritjes]

I think the average home in SG perhaps doesn't have as much storage space for bulk purchases. Many are multigenerational families or have set aside the store-room for the maid. I'd imagine most grocery purchases are done weekly as there isn't much spare space to stock up.

[p'haps]

I think the average home in SG perhaps doesn't have as much storage space for bulk purchases. Many are multigenerational families or have set aside the store-room for the maid. I'd imagine most grocery purchases are done weekly as there isn't much spare space to stock up.

not to mention the concept of <fresh> is very important.

they don't like to stock up as much, because then it seems 'unfresh'. illogical perhaps but that's local mentality of many older aunties. which is why wet markets thrive so well too. sole older generation folk actually dont like supermarket shopping because veggies and meat there didn't look as 'fresh'.

[just saying]

Don't forget that Singapore is still a developing country. 

It does not have the resources or expertise to provide social security to people in need;  cannot afford consumer protection against unscrupulous retailers; provides no pension for senior citizens; most Singaporeans cannot afford a car and the country cannot even afford the TV rights for the upcoming soccer World Cup.  With these challenges, it is unlikely the online grocery shopping would be much of a priority.

herein Kubes, lies one instance of the 'condescending and patronising' tone (that you were associated with in another thread) you ARE sometimes inclined to adopt, with regard to issues pertaining to Singapore.

i doubt this is the reason === <Singapore is still a developing country>