According to a Mercatus Grocery Shopper Survey, online grocery sales were higher by 28 percent from October 2023 to the most recently completed month attaining $10.5 billion.

Highlights from the report include:

• Delivery channels increased by 46 percent to $4.8 billion.

• Active users increased by 16 percent with a bias towards younger households.

• Home delivery increased by 24 percent attributed to special offers by DoorDash and Uber and with a free trial promotion for Amazon Prime coinciding with Prime Day sales.

• Pickup orders increased by 6 percent.

• Ship-to-home was up 6 percent with sales of $1.5 billion.

• Average order value was up 12 percent.

• Monthly average user base grew by 1.6 percent with half of the U.S. households ordering at least once per month.

It is evident that convenience associated with online ordering and delivery options established during the COVID years has established new buying patterns among consumers. Improved software and the ability of stores and fulfillment centers to respond to orders with speed and accuracy is entrenching customer loyalty.