Point, Click and Eat

What pulls millions of people to the Internet to do the bulk of their holiday and big-ticket shopping? Are they too lazy? Are they too busy? What will they think of next?

The best online shopping we've found is online grocery shopping and delivery, a program launched by Price Cutter last July at pricecutteronline.com. With the click of a button, shoppers in Springfield and surrounding communities can point and click their way through the aisles of Price Cutter, pay online with a credit card (it's the only payment accepted), and no matter how large or small the order, it will be on your doorstep in as little as five hours.

Jill Slack, public relations coordinator, says the service appeals to a wide variety of people-not just lazy ones. "The stay- at-home moms, bachelors, senior citizens, the disabled and a lot of businesses find Price Cutter's online ordering and doorstep delivery meets their needs," Slack says.

The store will ship you anything you can purchase with your credit card (no Powerball tickets, sorry), and yes, that includes your liquors, prescription drugs and cigarettes. The only requirement is that you show an ID for such items to the delivery guys.

Speaking of delivery guys, Jim Handley said that he sees some pretty interesting orders. "I have my regular customers who order pretty much the same thing every time, but probably the most interesting order is a little old lady, she's got to be in her eighties, she orders three fifths of booze and a box of Dove chocolate bars every week! You have to wonder what she's doing with all that!"

Delivery times are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. To be in the earlier delivery run, your order has to be placed by 6 a.m. on the day you want the delivery. Order noon to ensure delivery during that day's 5 to 7 p.m. time slot.

There is a flat $10 delivery fee for all orders, or if you'd prefer you can order all your goods, then pick up at Price Cutter's South National Avenue location. The fee for grocery pick-up is $5.

But what about functionality? We found the pricecutteronline website fairly easy to use, and Slack said it gets easier every time, because you can keep track of your favorite (most-purchased) items, and you can add recipes you use a lot and select the ingredients for those all at one time.

Worried about quality with someone else picking out your goods? Slack said that they have all sorts of orders for interesting things, but the Internet orders are clear, and all the employees who gather the groceries operate by this golden rule-they're not going to pick something out unless they'd take it home to their family.

There are a few other grocery chains that offer grocery delivery through phone-in orders, including Smillie's IGA (1421 S. Glenstone Ave., 417-881-2616). Also, the parent company of Dillon's Supermarkets does offer delivery in other areas, but hasn't brought it to Springfield.

So for now, lazy Internet shoppers (or you busy career folk who need to save time) it looks like Price Cutter is your answer for online grocery shopping with doorstep service. Ten dollars, my entire grocery list on the doorstep, and me still in my pajamas? What a great life.