Beck Vass: My online supermarket shopping meltdown

Friends have said their online shopping has been life-changing, so I thought I'd get in on the action. Photo / 123RF

COMMENT:

All her friends were doing it, so Beck Vass downloaded the Countdown shopping app - and immediately regretted it.

On the recommendation of a friend, I just attempted my first online supermarket shop.

I didn't get very far.

To begin with it's necessary to confess that I am a repeat shopper. I go a few times a week. I don't usually plan meals too far ahead.

Friends have said their online shopping has been life-changing, both for pick-up and home deliveries, so I thought I'd get in on the action and try making someone else do the supermarket walk-around for me. Then I could simply swing by and grab my groceries.

First, I bought the Countdown app. This was no small feat: I don't pay for apps.

But for "life-changing", I was up for it.

For starters, for some reason on my iPhone the app store takes multiple "retry" attempts to open, and then to work.

So that's a pain on its own. And then there's the app itself: I tried to register and found myself in an endless loop of it asking for my email address and password. I did several loops and then it locked me out.

I had to call an 0800 number. FFS! That's why I paid for the app! I didn't want to talk to anyone. I wasted 40-minutes of the precious time all this was supposed to save me.

The bloody supermarket is only a few minutes away, I could have gone there and done the shop already.

A few days later, when I had gathered enough emotional energy, I made the phone call.

I blamed myself saying, "I must have done something wrong" - while quietly believing the app is crap and it wasn't my fault at all. My account was unlocked.

I went onto the app again. I searched for a "log in" but there wasn't one. I had to reset my password and eventually got in.

Then I tried to create my virtual shopping list.

Oranges: It's asking me how many kilograms I need. I don't know how many oranges weigh a certain amount …

Eventually, I select the individual oranges, five of them. Where do I click "add to cart"? I can't find where to even add them. I figure out I have to click on the orange picture and select it from there. It's quite niggly and time-consuming.

I've been here 10 minutes already, I would have been half way round the supermarket with a baby by now if I'd done this in real life. It takes so long.

Bananas: Same problem. You don't want too many or they go gross and I already have a freezer drawer full of them to feel guilty about. I selected five individual ones because I have no idea what weight to choose. But what if they pick bruised ones? Or ones that are too ripe? Too green? The kids won't eat them and I'll have more to freeze.

I decide to save bananas for an in-person shop. There are options to write notes. I can't write notes for every item, I'll be here all day!

Avocados: Same problem. 2 for $5. But I want them tonight. What if they choose green ones and I can't use them? I need avocados for tacos for dinner.

I'm over-thinking online shopping. I over-think everything.

A friend informs me it does get better, it's just niggly to start with. Apparently it remembers your order and you can order the same items next time and it's much quicker and easier.

But in the meantime, for me, still stuck in the dark ages, it just seems easier to go in.

So no life changes just yet.