I don’t deserve this… I really don’t deserve this. But I’m getting it anyway! Actually, we all are!
I’m not sure what we did right, what higher power intervened on our behalf, or why this is happening, but it is!
ClickList grocery ordering has come to the Newport Pavilion Kroger.
If you have never heard of ClickList and don’t understand my glee, read on for an explanation of what it is, a how-to guide, and a few tips from an old pro (actually, I tried it once but it worked great).
 |
| This is an advertisement. |
ClickList is the service that Kroger has been offering at select stores across the city which allows you, the shopper, to fill out your shopping cart online and then pick up your entire order at the store during a predetermined window of time.
Not only do you order online and pick up at the store, but you drive to a specific area where your order is brought to your car and loaded by an associate all whilst you sit back listening to Beyonce on Q102. In all seriousness, one of the worst things in the world is heading to the grocery store with children and with summer approaching, I would now have to lug three kids around, aisle by aisle, forgetting half of what I came for, and stressing out like crazy.
Now, from the comfort of my computer or mobile phone (not an app but the website is mobile-friendly), I can pre-order and my time spent actually in the grocery store is literally zero seconds. I can be in and out of the parking lot in less than ten minutes maximum.
 |
| Newport ClickList waiting area |
So, how does it work?
Visit www.kroger.com and sign in (register if it is your first time). Select the Newport Pavilion store as your “Preferred Store” and then click “Order Online”, then “ClickList Pick Up at Store” across the top banner. This will take you to the ClickList site where you can search for items several ways. If you want a specific item, there is a text box search. Or you can go department by department filling out your shopping cart with all the usuals. If you’re a Kroger Plus card holder, the ClickList has a section titled “My Favorites” which is automatically pre-populated with the items you purchase most frequently. Also, if you’ve purchased something recently, there is a section called “My Recent Purchases” and anything you’ve recently bought can easily be selected there. A sales section shows all the items from the weekly circular as well.
 |
| My Favorites on ClickList: Apparently I like chips |
So that’s it, right? Not quite. A few tips for you too:
1)What if I order the exact same items each week? Do I have to go in and add them each time? The answer is not quite! Under “My Account” click on “Order History” and this will link you to a previous order which you can view and add in its entirety to your current cart.
2)OK, I’ve added items and placed my order but I forgot a few things, can I add them in? Yes, but hurry! You have until midnight the night before pickup if you’re prepping your shopping list the night before. However, you cannot add items last minute before heading to the store.
3)Can I order same day? Possibly, but it’s hard. To ensure you get your food during the agreed time slot, Kroger limits how many orders per hour they’ll take. The next available time slot will show when you log in but from my experience, it has been next day or even two days away.
4)Is there a limit to how much I can order at a time? It depends… how big is your car?
5)Can I order alcohol? Beer, sure. Bourbon nope. But it may be good for you to get out and walk between drinks anyway.
6)I steal all my neighbors’ newspapers so I have lots of coupons; may I use them? Yes! You can use your stolen coupons.
7)Is there a fee involved? Yes… a whopping $4.95. The fee to not use it is your sanity and about three years off your life expectancy. But most shoppers have reported actually saving money because the fee of $4.95 applies but you cut down on impulse buys, child-appeasement purchases, and regrettable “upgrades”. Also, your first three orders are FREE.
8)What if I order something online and by the time I go to pick it up, they’re out of the item? You can build substitutions into your order but if you don’t, you simply won’t get the item. Unfortunately, they do NOT alert you beforehand but only when you arrive at the store. So, I suggest always clicking a substitute, if possible, or you may be without what you needed. Obviously, you don’t pay if they don’t have it.
So, what’s the downside?
Well, I wanted to make guacamole immediately when I got home but I couldn’t! Kroger Karl picked the freshest avocados in America which is great unless I wanted to use them right away. So, you lose out on the ability to pick your own produce and other items.
Also, when searching for something online, if you use vague search terms, you have to scroll through a lot of unrelated items. For example, I wanted to buy hamburgers but when searching for that, I scrolled through tons of pages of Hamburger Helper; I should’ve typed in “Ground Beef Patties.” Now, though, they are in my account as a recent purchase so once you find the item once, it is easier in the future.
Last pro-tip: the time slots seem to be sparse as weekends approach; so if you want to use it for your weekend party planning, set your order early in the week.
So, have you tried it yet? If so, what are your pro tips to share? Any negatives not considered? Share in the comments below or to Facebook. Otherwise, I can’t wait to NOT see you at Kroger!
 |
| Loading up the car |