Skip The Supermarket: These Are The New Strategies For Grocery Shopping During ECQ

The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) has really made it difficult for us to go out and shop for our daily food and essentials. Despite supermarkets and essential stores staying open, lining up for groceries is tedious and just going out in general increases our risk of getting the virus. And when it comes to deliveries, even large supermarket chains offering delivery services are so swamped with orders they can't accept all orders, or cannot deliver promptly.

Fortunately, every crisis is an opportunity for new business, and we found the people and services who are filling the gap. They will help you get the products  you need and deliver them straight to your doorstep. The key is to look for the right sources and credible sellers. 

Here are some of the new strategies you can employ to find the supplies yoyou need and have them delivered to you.

PABILI SERVICES

These trusted and certified delivery services will buy your groceries and medicine for you.

Murabeshy

Murabeshy has a simple and easy-to-use website where you can find the most common and basic household items such as canned goods, noodles, snacks, beverages, meat and poultry, cooking basics, laundry supplies, and even alcohol and masks! 

To order, just go to their website Murabeshy.com, add the items that you want to your cart, pay via bank deposit, and then wait for the confirmation. They  require a minimum order of P1,000, and it will take one to two days to fulfill your order.

Online Supermarket During Lockdown

Sounds very straightforward, right? They will buy your groceries for you for a minimum fee. All you have to do is send them your name, contact details, address, and grocery list, and they will go to the nearest grocery to fulfill your order.

Take note that they charge P500 for groceries worth P3,000 and below, with an additional P50 for ever P1,000 after that. It only takes them one to two days to get your groceries, so they're a great option if you’re running low on pantry stocks but not in immediate need.

To order, send them a PM through their Facebook page here.

Mr. Grocery

One of our favorites is Mr. Grocery.  Prepare your grocery list and let Mr. Grocery do the shopping for you. Send them a PM, fill out their order form, and then wait for a couple of days for your order to be fulfilled. Mr. Grocery serves customers by batches, so sometimes it takes a while to get a slot. Good thing is they're very communicative and you'll always know the status of your order and when to expect delivery.

To order, send them a message on their Facebook page here.

VIBER GROUPS

If you’re looking for niche items like kimchi or Angus beef, check out a few  Viber groups that now function like a mini marketplace. Suppliers post their items, and buyers can look for sellers with the particular product they need. 

The real challenge here is looking for sellers who are legit and trustworthy. Many of the viber groups have moderators who try and implement rules in the threads, but the responsibility to shop and conduct transactions still lies on the buyer. So make sure to keep a look out for trusted sellers and share your good or bad experiences on the group thread to help others shop safely.

Here are some of the most active Viber groups that list food and essential supplies and the links to join each group.

New Manila Marketplace

Fruits and Vegetables Manila

Great Eats

Take Out & Delivery at SM

Food Contacts Community

DELIVERY DIRECTORIES 

Metro.Style's Ultimate Food Directory 

In the last weeks, we have compiled and curated an extensive food directory to help satisfy your food cravings and needs during this lockdown. 

The directory is divided into the following categories to help you browse through trusted brands and places that offer delivery services: Online Groceries; Meat, Poultry, and Seafood; Fruits and Vegetables; Cakes and Pies; Ice Cream and Gelatos; Cooked Food; Vegan and Vegetarian; and Wine and Alcohol.

This list is updated regularly so keep checking back for new ones! Check out the Metro.style Ultimate Food Directory here.

Pa-Deliver Please 

This website is a visual directory of suppliers and brands who are offering delivery services throughout Metro Manila. The selections are organized per area, as well, to help encourage people to stay within their borders.

Check out Pa-Deliver Please’s extensive food and restaurant directory here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook and Instagram have been great avenues for online stores and sellers even before the quarantine. But now that many stores have closed shop, these home-based sellers are now stepping up to offer their services to their community.

Just like Viber Groups, these Facebook Groups are digital communities where people come together to earn some income or buy some stuff. Many groups are based per area to respect the quarantine and encourage people to stay inside their respective borders.

Here are some great Facebook groups to check out:

Palengke Online Delivery Group 

Pasig Food Delivery & Pabili Service    

Quezon City Resto Grocery Delivery Group    

Malibay Pabili / Pahatid    

Online Palengke (Sampaloc Manila)    

Mandaluyong Mobile Padala/Pabili Services    

Facebook Marketplace 

Facebook Marketplace has been a great resource for anything that you need to buy. Just type in the product that you’re looking for, and the sellers offering your product will show up, including the price and location. 

While many sellers now are on hold because of the quarantine, some are still very much willing to ship via couriers like Grab Express, Lalamove, Angkas, and Mr. Speedy. 

But just like always, be wary and smart about buying from online sellers because there have been cases of scamming, especially with the lockdown in place. If you can, choose COD options with couriers, or verify their legitimacy through testimonials and ratings left by previous buyers.