I'm a germaphobe—and here's why I'm loving Walmart's new delivery service

Updated November 4, 2020 at 12:10 AM·6 min read

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Need groceries? Walmart+ to the rescue. (Photo: Getty Images)

In the early days of the pandemic, grocery shopping was what stressed me out the most.

Covered in mask and gloves, I’d head to my local store to pick up necessities all the while thinking about the multitude of germs I was picking up along the way. Unloading was the worst part — having to decontaminate everything before putting it in the pantry and fridge.

The whole process made my stress rise to the surface and set off like a geyser. Yes, I’m a germaphobe.

It’s gotten better—reports have shown that wiping groceries isn’t very helpful. But going into stores is still tough for me. Of course, I do it now and then. I popped into Walmart a few times to pick up puzzles, embroidery kits, anything to pass the time. When I ventured into the grocery section, I was shocked at the prices—they were remarkably less than that of my go-to store, even for organic produce.

Cut to this week, where a friend told me about Walmart+, which is the retail giant’s new delivery service, and I felt compelled to give it a try. Covid cases are spiking and a reputable delivery service sounded like a balm to my nerve-wracked soul.

Yep, I spritz each piece of fruit—and I found my favorite spray! (Photo: Getty) — Yep, I spritz each piece of fruit—and I even found a disinfectant that's food-safe! (Photo: Getty)

Signing up

The signup was easy—a risk-free trial gives you 15 days, but a quick three-question survey will tack on two more weeks. After your 30 days are up, you’ll be charged $12.98 per month or $98 per year depending on what you select.

It gives you the date of your next cycle, and the option to cancel before then. The annual fee is comparable to Amazon Prime but the benefit here is the availability of fresh produce and perishables that services like Prime don’t offer in my area.

Browsing around

Navigating the site was easy—it’s broken down into categories, highlighting specialty items like coffees. There’s a search bar if you want to get right to it, and it quickly finds your item and those similar so you can comparison shop. As a health-conscious pescatarian, I was pleased to find most of my go-tos available.

I may have been overzealous with the ease of ordering online, because I accidentally ordered as pick-up, which is the default, and could not figure out how to change this to delivery. It’s nice to have the option, but not getting off the sofa is what appealed to me about Walmart+. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my order and start from scratch in order to switch to delivery. It only took a few minutes to re-fill my cart and select the delivery option.

While Walmart+ offers same-day, contact-free delivery, I must have missed my window so my order was scheduled for the next day and I was able to select a one-hour window from many available times. There’s an up-to-the-minute text option to let you know the status. It’s not like I’m going anywhere so I knew I’d be home, but I liked the gesture.

Getting the goods

The morning of, I received an email that the Lysol spray I ordered wasn’t available—not surprising this item was out of stock. At 10:51 am I received a text with a link that my groceries should arrive by 11:01 am, which was a minute into my hour window. I clicked the link and a map came up with the driver’s location. A few minutes later the doorbell rang and I found the packages delivered to my back door, as requested, and received a text telling me so.

I went out to find the bags neatly stacked on my table, and the one containing eggs was marked fragile—a clever and appreciated detail. Everything came in looking fresh, still frozen, and cold as it should be. There were no ice packs but they got it here so quickly, it was as if I’d shopped it myself.

I do wish they used less bags, but I see why they didn’t: The goods were packed by category. Beyond that, shopping at Walmart+ was an overall great experience. I may never need to change out of my pjs again.

Seventh Generation Lemongrass Citrus Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner

This surface cleaner was a no-brainer. I appreciate Seventh Generations’ mission—clean without harming the environment. This lemongrass disinfectant kills 99 percent of bacteria and viruses. It’s a ‘no rinse’ formula and safe on food and toys. This is perfect for when I’m compelled to spray those blueberries with disinfectant.

OLLY Immunity Gummy, Immune Support, 45-count

I’ve been using OLLY vitamin gummies for a few years now. They’re made with all natural ingredients, like beet sugar, and the flavors are appealing and not too sweet. I was searching for the brand’s STRESS gummies, but they were out of stock. The prices are so good, I opted for the IMMUNITY. I’ve not seen it anywhere for less than $14, so for $13 it was worth stocking up.

Beyond Meat Beyond Burger Patties, half-pound

Since I’ve shifted to a plant-based diet, Beyond Meat is one of my staples. It has 20 grams of protein per serving and is surprisingly delicious. The patties are convenient for making 10-minute meals and it really quells those burger cravings.

Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Bread, 24-ounce

I try to stay away from white breads and sugar. Ezekiel’s organic sprouted bread contains neither—it’s a great alternative to traditional options, providing protein, amino acids and nutrients.

Starbucks Decaf Ground Coffee—House Blend, 12-ounce

A good decaf is hard to find. I’ve been caffeine-free for years, but I still love the taste of coffee. Walmart offers Starbucks decaf, so I know I’m getting the good stuff. While I prefer whole bean, so I can grind it myself, I’ll gladly take Walmart’s pre-ground option for the convenience.

Germ-X Hand Sanitizer, 8-ounce

Never hurts to stock up on hand sanitizer, and at $2 for an 8-ounce bottle, it’s nice to see a reasonable pre-covid price for Germ-x. Since the alcohol can be drying, the added Vitamin E is by no means remiss.

Pure Balance Grain-Free Wet Cat Food, Chicken & Sweet Potato, 3-ounce

I try and keep my kitties healthy too. I was looking for another brand, but was happy to find this limited ingredient option. My cats are finicky so it’s nice to be able to try a few different flavors in the small-size cans to see if they’ve found a new favorite.

Organic Hass Avocados, 3 to 5 count

Organic Hass Avocados, 3-5 count. (Photo: Walmart)

Walmart has a great organic section and the prices are so affordable—this bag of 3 to 5 avocados is only $3. All of the organic options were markedly less expensive than competitors. Score.

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