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If by "getting used to it", you mean "experiencing the horror", than sure. I tried it, twice. In both cases, produce was picked by either someone that didn't

If by "getting used to it", you mean "experiencing the horror", than sure. I tried it, twice. In both cases, produce was picked by either someone that didn't care, or didn't know how to tell if some food (mellons) were ripe. Even if only poor produce was available, well, I'd have seen, and just not bought it. I received substitutions too, and without permission. Meat was sent with very soon expiry dates. I'd never snag that in person. Same for bread. Online grocery is a no go for me. My local grocer is 10 minutes away, in store time is maybe 20 minutes, including checkout. I get what I want, how I want it, and save money by not having unusable stuff delivered to me. Food isn't like a TV. One orange is not the same as a other. Even bananas... I prefer them almost green, a friend I know, almost rotten.

acdha 6y ago
Your experiences aren’t universal. None of my neighbors have reported things being anywhere near that bad - and having multiple competing options suggests it wouldn’t stay that way if it was - and services like CSAs, Hungry Harvest, etc. around here have seen enormous increases. I don’t think that’ll go back to pre-pandemic levels in a hurry even if a vaccine shows up tomorrow.
- bbarnett 6y ago
  I think my point was, your experiences aren't universal. Yet you're still basing your determination upon yours. Take what you will from mine, but even aside from my two bad experiences, I can't imagine how one gets precisely what they want, via online. I like to tap my melons, touch my tomatoes, and why does this sound like a porno now? :P Anyhow. I think you get my point, my view. I've got yours, eg, you don't care about a personal pick. So the real question is, how many really, really prefer to pick precisely what they want? Obviously for a box of corn flakes, it probably matters little.
  - acdha 6y ago
    If you read my comment, note that I didn’t present anything as universal. I’m sure both are real accounts of what happens. The point is that you don’t need perfection to have a big change. Video chat doesn’t need to hit 100% of meetings, classes, and conferences to have a big impact on those industries. Delivery services don’t need to completely replace brick and mortar to have a big impact in low margin industries. Maybe you personally want to check every tomato but ask how many people care that much every time, even when they’re busy, etc. Do you think that’ll be enough to shift an industry?
    - bbarnett 6y ago
      Sorry for the late reply. Been Saturday busy... I think what you're missing here, is a bit of tongue in cheek. I, too, did not present my case as universal, yet you took effort to point out it wasn't. Tit for tat, and all that... That said! I think you have it a bit reversed here. At least, what I read as you (paraphrased) said is "Do you think people wanting to check product, will shift an industry?" Yet, that question is a bit flawed, as I see it. This is because the industry isn't shifting because a person might want to check a tomato. It's failing to shift. The inertia, the default "People who want to check produce, have always bought in the store." and "Further back, people could only buy in the store." Now, you seem to be under the belief that everyone is buying online. Using home delivery. Not going to the grocery store. Yet when I go to the grocery store? When I visit? You know what I see? People! Lots of people! Take me, for example. I received poor service, and as a result, have not used online grocery shopping. I've gone to the grocery store weekly, as I did prior to COVID. So from where I sit, the industry isn't shifting in my case, it never changed. And from the numbers I see at my grocery store, this seems to be common. And this is because I've always cared. I cared before COVID. I care now. I'll care after. I think you're literally dismissing my experiences as if yours are the universal! Or, if not, as if yours are "clearly what is happening in most cases". Yet I disagree here. Let me put this forward. How many grandparents shop online? I'm not talking about in Palo Alto, but all over the US and Canada? And to answer that, let me mention something. Grocery stores have always offered home delivery, for a small fee. Why did most people not avail themselves of that? Why do you believe online shopping, is so different from phone shopping? Or fax shopping? Both of which always existed. Anyhow. I have a feeling we're not going to agree at all here.

acdha 6y ago

Your experiences aren’t universal. None of my neighbors have reported things being anywhere near that bad - and having multiple competing options suggests it wouldn’t stay that way if it was - and services like CSAs, Hungry Harvest, etc. around here have seen enormous increases. I don’t think that’ll go back to pre-pandemic levels in a hurry even if a vaccine shows up tomorrow.

bbarnett 6y ago
I think my point was, your experiences aren't universal. Yet you're still basing your determination upon yours. Take what you will from mine, but even aside from my two bad experiences, I can't imagine how one gets precisely what they want, via online. I like to tap my melons, touch my tomatoes, and why does this sound like a porno now? :P Anyhow. I think you get my point, my view. I've got yours, eg, you don't care about a personal pick. So the real question is, how many really, really prefer to pick precisely what they want? Obviously for a box of corn flakes, it probably matters little.
- acdha 6y ago
  If you read my comment, note that I didn’t present anything as universal. I’m sure both are real accounts of what happens. The point is that you don’t need perfection to have a big change. Video chat doesn’t need to hit 100% of meetings, classes, and conferences to have a big impact on those industries. Delivery services don’t need to completely replace brick and mortar to have a big impact in low margin industries. Maybe you personally want to check every tomato but ask how many people care that much every time, even when they’re busy, etc. Do you think that’ll be enough to shift an industry?
  - bbarnett 6y ago
    Sorry for the late reply. Been Saturday busy... I think what you're missing here, is a bit of tongue in cheek. I, too, did not present my case as universal, yet you took effort to point out it wasn't. Tit for tat, and all that... That said! I think you have it a bit reversed here. At least, what I read as you (paraphrased) said is "Do you think people wanting to check product, will shift an industry?" Yet, that question is a bit flawed, as I see it. This is because the industry isn't shifting because a person might want to check a tomato. It's failing to shift. The inertia, the default "People who want to check produce, have always bought in the store." and "Further back, people could only buy in the store." Now, you seem to be under the belief that everyone is buying online. Using home delivery. Not going to the grocery store. Yet when I go to the grocery store? When I visit? You know what I see? People! Lots of people! Take me, for example. I received poor service, and as a result, have not used online grocery shopping. I've gone to the grocery store weekly, as I did prior to COVID. So from where I sit, the industry isn't shifting in my case, it never changed. And from the numbers I see at my grocery store, this seems to be common. And this is because I've always cared. I cared before COVID. I care now. I'll care after. I think you're literally dismissing my experiences as if yours are the universal! Or, if not, as if yours are "clearly what is happening in most cases". Yet I disagree here. Let me put this forward. How many grandparents shop online? I'm not talking about in Palo Alto, but all over the US and Canada? And to answer that, let me mention something. Grocery stores have always offered home delivery, for a small fee. Why did most people not avail themselves of that? Why do you believe online shopping, is so different from phone shopping? Or fax shopping? Both of which always existed. Anyhow. I have a feeling we're not going to agree at all here.