Online Shopping for Groceries: 5 Places to Get What You Need

Knowing how to do online shopping for groceries is one of those pandemic-related skillsets we just have to learn to do. Even if you’re already fully vaccinated, chances are you have people not eligible to be vaccinated around you – children, for example – and you just want them to be safe.

Then there’s the issue of the virus still mutating, so we have no idea what it may still be capable of, as well as vaccine efficacy reducing over time… aaaaa when are things getting back to normal aaa will it ever??

So here is a compilation of online stores that allow you to do online shopping for groceries. I will share the links, what to buy from each platform, and protips to save money.

I’ve also listed out online shopping advantages and disadvantages for groceries, so you know what to expect if you’re new at this. Let’s start with:

#1 – HappyFresh

Website link: https://www.happyfresh.my/

A groceries’ delivery platform, listing various supermarkets near you. Mine includes Lotus’s (used to be Tesco), AEON, Giant Hypermarket, Pasaraya Matahari, Marks & Spencer, as well as a couple of other local marts.

What to buy: pick your preferred supermarket and go through the Best Deals tab.

Protip: Make use of their vouchers and deals! Read my HappyFresh review for more details.

#2 – Shopee

Website link: https://shopee.com.my/

Let’s not pretend you don’t know what this platform is. I love stocking up my favourite food products from here, way cheaper than other options. My repeat orders include:

• pasta sauce from Sangla Foods (get the Pesto Genovese! So delicious)
• ground coffee from Sol Coffee Roastery (my fav is the Sol El-Salvador Blend)
• frozen berries and vegetables from Braspro (get frozen blueberries for the antioxidants and stuff)

What to buy: Everything but fresh produce. A reader commented fresh produce also can!

Protip #1: You can also do online shopping Mydin Malaysia in Shopee.

Protip #2: Get the Maybank Shopee Visa Platinum card. It lets you earn Shopee Coins which you can use towards your online shopping for groceries at Shopee

#3 – Lazada

Website link: https://www.lazada.com.my/

You know what platform this is as well.

What to buy: More or less same as Shopee

Protip #1: You can also do online shopping Tesco Groceries in Lazada.

Protip #2: Get the Lazada Citi Platinum card. It lets you earn Lazada Reward Points which you can use towards your online shopping for groceries at Lazada

#4 – AirAsia Grocer

Website link: https://www.airasia.com/grocer/my/en

AirAsia has branched into online grocery shopping, and honestly it’s not bad. I’ve used them twice and am happy both times.

What to buy: Whichever good deal is happening that week

Protip #1: Use Shopback to earn cashback on your purchase

Protip #2: Redeem your BIG Points for groceries!

#5 – Pasar Segar

Website link: https://pasarsegar.my/

What to buy: Fresh poultry, meat and seafood that are ‘cleaned, cut and packed’ for you as well as vegetables

Protip: Check their Bulk Buys section

Other Platforms for Online Shopping for Groceries

In addition to the options listed above, you can definitely do online shopping at Tesco Lotus’s, Mydin and Giant Supermarket main websites.

There are other platforms for online grocery shopping of course, but I don’t know if I can recommend them. Both Grab and Foodpanda have Marts but the prices there are more expensive. And not by a little bit, either. A lot. I would only use them to get urgently-needed items or to support a small local mart, but other than that, not really.

Online shopping advantages and disadvantages

Advantages to online shopping for groceries

There are many advantages to doing your grocery shopping online. You get to:

• avoid the crowd, therefore giving you less chance for Covid-19 transmission
• save money (don’t forget to use the protips!)
• do price comparison between similar products

Disadvantages to online shopping for groceries

All those are great, but nothing is binary; there are disadvantages to online shopping for groceries as well. For example:

• Your groceries will come in excessive packaging. Obviously this is not good for the environment.
• You may face delivery and timeslot issues. Sometimes the timeslots run out quite fast and you have to wait for a few days until a suitable timeslot opens up.
• Item unavailability. Sometimes the online shopping platform will call you up if a particular item is not available, and suggest replacements. Usually it’s fine, unless you NEED a particular item for a certain recipe. Then it becomes quite annoying.
• Unit confusion. You also have to be diligent over the units (kg, pieces, etc), or you may accidentally buy too much or too little.

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Which online shopping for groceries platform do you recommend?

So which of the above online groceries platforms do you use the most? Do you use other platforms for online shopping for groceries? Have additional protips to save money and time?

Please leave a comment and share your tips with us 🙂