Patrick Hearn · January 20, 2022 · 6 min read Everyone is familiar with the concept of ordering food for pickup, but the convenience doesn’t stop there. The pandemic changed the way people approach shopping, and many more services can now be ordered online to save you time.
When you’re short of time (or you just want to avoid going into crowded stores, especially around the holiday season), check out these surprising items you can order online to save yourself time.
Video Games at GameStop
No, we don’t mean ordering online for delivery to your home. You can actually browse your local GameStop’s inventory through the website or the mobile app and order games for in-store pickup. It’s an easy way to skip the process of searching through the store to ensure they have a title in stock.
Once you order it, the employees will gather your order and have it ready and waiting for you when you walk in. Just show proof of purchase (or pay if you haven’t already) and you can be in and out in under thirty seconds.
Girl Scout Cookies
Who doesn’t love Girl Scout cookies? Through GirlScouts.org, you can find booths near you or simply order online. There’s even an app you can download to help you better locate the nearest source of Thin Mints for when you have those emergency cravings that nothing else will fill.
Unfortunately, this trick only works when Girl Scout cookies are in season. The good news is that the website will tell you exactly how many days remain until you begin ordering Girl Scout Cookies. Think of it as a Thin Mint countdown timer, if you will.
Propane Tanks
If you’ve ever grilled up hotdogs and hamburgers on a propane grill, then you know the tanks aren’t the lightest things to carry. If you struggle to pick them up or you just don’t like the idea of carrying a propane tank in your car, good news: you can order them online.
Services like Cynch will deliver a propane tank directly to your home and take the old ones to be refilled. It’s an easy way to get tanks when you need them without putting in all of the elbow grease yourself.
Fast Food
What can make fast food even faster? Not waiting for it to be prepared at the drive through. Almost all of the main fast food restaurants (McDonalds, Burger King, etc.) have mobile apps you can download and use to place an order for pickup at your local store. In fact, many offer rewards and discounts for doing so.
The team begins preparing the food as soon as you order it. After this, you just swing through the drive thru and pick up your food. No waiting required, and no chance that someone will misunderstand your order since you specify every detail of it in the app.
Clothing
Few things in the world require as much time as shopping for clothes. Browsing the racks, trying on different sizes, and then making a decision can feel like it takes ages. The good news is that if you know what size you wear and what you’re looking for, you can order clothes for free pickup in Macy’s.
All you have to do is buy online and then you can pick up the clothes at your local store. It takes a lot of the stress out of the experience and lets you get in and out of the store fast — a major benefit, especially at this time of year.
Groceries
At the height of the pandemic, many people were afraid to go into stores. Walmart, Publix, Kroger, and many other big-box stores opened up online ordering. You can order your groceries online and a team member will bring them to the front of the store for curbside pickup.
If you’re on a budget, shopping for groceries online is a lifesaver. It helps you avoid impulse purchases if you’re hungry and lets you get in and out of the store quickly. The downside is that if you’re buying produce, you can’t choose the best pieces for yourself — you have to trust the team member will find the best ones for you.
Christmas Trees
If you find yourself in need of a Christmas tree, but your vehicle is too small to transport it, CityTreeDelivery.com can help. This service delivers Fraser Fir trees right to your door, and has been doing so since 2009.
The downside is that they only service the Chicago area, but it’s still a great way to buy a real Christmas tree without the mess and struggle of transporting it yourself. You can also buy accessories like a tree stand, wreathes, candles, and more. Maybe there’s a similar Christmas tree delivery service near you?
Massages
In a time when most people work from home, your neck and shoulders probably suffer from all the time you spend in front of a computer. While going out for a massage might seem extravagant, proper treatment can be beneficial in reducing pain levels and even helping you sleep better.
Soothe is a service that connects you with licensed, professional massage therapists that will come directly to your home. You can receive a world-class massage in the comfort of your own home, from someone that knows how to best untangle the knots in your muscles.
Alcohol
Whether you forgot to grab a bottle or two of wine before a gathering or you need something to cook with, you don’t have to pile into the car to go to the liquor store. You can have alcohol delivered right to your home through Drizly.
The service is currently somewhat limited and only serves a few cities that include Boston, Chicago, NYC, Dallas, Washington D.C., and several others. When you place an order, Drizly will deliver your favorite beer, wine, or liquor straight to your front door without the need to make a run to the store. Oh, and Drizly promises to deliver within an hour.
If you’re looking to save time, do a search to find out what you can order online. You might be surprised at the options that are open to you. Just be careful that the website you’re ordering from is legitimate and that you aren’t accidentally giving away personal information.
