Ordering fresh food has never been so easy. Now, with just a click of a mouse, groceries can be delivered straight to your door thanks to online supermarkets.

“Net super,” or online supermarkets, are a convenient alternative to traditional grocery shopping, especially for mothers of young children or people who don’t live near a supermarket.

Many leading supermarket operators, such as Aeon Co. and Ito-Yokado Co., are offering the service in a bid to attract more customers. Shoppers can sign up online for membership and choose whether to pay by credit card or cash on delivery.

“It used to take me 10 minutes by bicycle to get to the nearest supermarket. It was so inconvenient. But with this service, I can buy anything I want while I’m at home,” said a 33-year-old woman from Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.

The woman, who currently has her hands full raising her children, said she uses the service a couple of times a month, and usually orders vegetables and ingredients the night before she needs them.

Summit Netsuper Corp. delivers groceries in 41 cities and wards in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture and has about 200,000 members.

“People often use our service on cold or rainy days. Many customers order heavy or bulky items,” said Yuma Miyata of SC Netsuper Corp., which operates Summit.

The company delivers six times a day between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Shipping fees range between 105 yen and 525 yen, depending on the purchased amount, and are waived for purchases above a certain total. Products are priced similarly to those found on the shelves of traditional supermarkets.

“Special campaigns for shipping discounts and bargain sales for online buyers are available on the website, so shoppers can buy at low prices,” Miyata said.

Aeon Net Super boasts a huge selection of about 12,000 items ―including food, daily products and clothes ― and delivers to Tokyo and 36 other prefectures. To use the service, shoppers must buy a minimum of 700 yen with a flat shipping fee of 105 yen. Orders over 5,000 yen are shipped for free.

While convenient, there are still a few things to watch out for when using such services. For example, because delivery fees can add up, buying in bulk is smarter than making many small orders.

“When ordering, add some requests in the remarks column, such as ‘leftover pork cuts with less fat,’ or ‘bananas that are easy to grasp with smaller hands.’ Then, staff will choose products based on those requests,” an Aeon Net Super spokesperson said.

Consumer affairs advisory specialist Harumi Maruyama said: “We tend to buy more than we need at supermarkets or forget to buy something we need. But you can check what you need and spend as long as you want before making a purchase online.”

However, online supermarkets may not be convenient for those who want to check the freshness of vegetables and meat products. Also, delivery fees can mean that light shoppers end up paying more than if they had bought the same items at a store.

“For starters, buy products such as rice and beverages in bulk. Because you’re more familiar with those items, you generally know what brands you like. Web designs and delivery rules differ depending on the company, so prepare carefully before making any purchase,” Maruyama said.

(The Yomiuri Shimbun)