How to Use Walmart, Target, and Amazon's Apps to Get Groceries Delivered

Leading retail giants Walmart and Target are both seeing sharp increases in downloads of their smartphone apps that allow for remote shopping and pickup amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

With 45 of 50 states now effectively in lockdown to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 contagion, grocery shopping is one of the only activities people are allowed to do. But, visiting your local supermarket comes with a host of risks. And since COVID-19 carriers are often asymptomatic, limiting interaction with strangers has never been more crucial.

To that end, Walmart and Target have both been promoting their smartphone apps to shoppers who are eager to completely skip a grocery store run and have their food delivered (or picked up curbside) instead.

As a result, Walmart's grocery shopping app, Walmart Grocery, recently became the most downloaded shopping app, dethroning previous champ Amazon, according to analytics firm App Annie. (Last week, in general, there were 14.4 million shopping app downloads in the U.S. and 106 million downloads globally, the firm reported.)

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Both grocery apps for Walmart and Target work in very intuitive ways. After you download them from the App Store and register for an account (with your address and credit card information), you can get your groceries via delivery or curbside pickup, as well as take advantage of loyalty program benefits.

Here's how the Walmart Grocery app, as well as the Walmart Grocery online store, works, according to its informational page:

What's available?
Fresh produce, baked goods, meat, pantry items and more.

What's the cost?
Most in-store pickups are free. Delivery is a little extra.

Where's it available?
Use your location or enter your ZIP Code to check availability.

How does it work?
Simply register, select a convenient pickup or delivery time, and build your basket. If you pickup your groceries, we'll load them into your car when you arrive for free.

Target offers similar benefits and an easy shopping process on the Target App and through their site as well. The full details:

Does Target offer grocery store delivery?
Yes. You can have your groceries delivered to your home through Target Restock or with Same Day Delivery, shopped by Shipt.

What is Target Restock?
Target Restock offers free next-day delivery on groceries and everyday essentials when you order online with your debit or credit RedCard or only $2.99 for non-RedCard holders. Add at least $35 worth of products to your box, and a team member will box your products at a store near you.

What is Same Day Delivery?
Guests in eligible markets can use Same Day Delivery for fresh grocery and product delivery, powered by Shipt. We'll hand-select the items in your cart and let you know we're on our way. We'll deliver your groceries to your home, business or wherever you are.

Does Target offer Order Pickup for groceries?
Yes. Order Pickup allows you to order items from Target.com and pick them up at your local Target store. To determine if an item is eligible for Order Pickup, find Free Ship to store or Free Order Pickup when adding the item to your cart. Items with limited or no stock in store, perishable items, and items containing hazardous material may not be eligible for Order Pickup. You can also shop from a list of Order Pickup–eligible items by browsing any category and selecting Buy Online & Pick Up from the Availability drop-down menu.

Does Target offer Drive Up for groceries?
Yes. Drive Up allows you to order items from the Target app, and we'll bring them out to your car when you arrive at your local Target store. To get started, download the Target app. Add eligible items to your cart and select Drive Up as your delivery method.

Meanwhile, the OGs of online grocery delivery services, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods, have been so overwhelmed with orders, they've resorted to putting a limit on how many new members they can accept.

In a statement, Amazon announced they are temporarily asking new Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market delivery and pickup customers to sign up for a waitlist to use their services. "We're increasing capacity each week and will invite new customers to shop every week," a spokesperson said.

So, if you're on the waitlist or considering signing up for Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods, you may want to explore your options with Walmart, Target, and/or local restaurants who are also delivering in your area. Now more than ever, the local shops could use your business, and many are converting themselves into much-needed grocery stores during this time.