If you buy food online, you will not be guaranteed its quality and whether it is fresh. This means the chances of you receiving a lower quality of food, or your produce could be too ripe or not ripe enough. Once the food has been delivered to you, you might not open the package immediately and you may find the need to return something makes ordering online more of a hassle than it is worth. If you planned to cook the food that day, you may find the need to run out anyway.
If you have been buying your food from the local store, you will know the quality of the groceries you are purchasing. Once in the store, you can confirm whether the food item is fresh before deciding to buy it. You will also have an opportunity to choose the food that pleases you most. In the store, you will see other products that could remind you of the food item that you had forgotten to place on your list.
The main disadvantage is that it will cost you a lot of time. You might walk into the store only to find long lines. The store could be out of one or more of the items you need to purchase. Such time can be spent doing other things, especially if you have a tight schedule. If you plan to buy a lot of groceries, you will have the burden of loading and unloading the vehicle. A large amount of groceries can be inconvenient if you have to walk or if you are using public transport.
Therefore, the choice of where to buy food will depend on the advantages/disadvantages of both methods. If you wish to buy high-quality seafood such as live Dungeness crab, it is important to focus on which option would give you the best value and results. No matter which choice you make, you could still not be happy with your purchase. Decide ahead of time which option works best for you. You may find the need to do both and purchase some things online while others you will need to do in store.