Google Express has invited me to use its “free” delivery service to get deliveries from Wal-Mart, Target, Costco and several other retailers. In addition, my first delivery will be 20% off! What’s not to like about that?
Many of the “free” delivery services are using the same technique to hide the cost. The price you pay in the store or restaurant is different from the price with the “free” delivery.
Google has copied over the non-perishable items from my Wal-Mart Pickup account to make ordering easy. Depending on which store I use, Wal-Mart can have my order available for pickup the same day, or at the latest by tomorrow. Here is one sample item:
Here is the same item using the Google Express “free” delivery
Further down, I am informed that my order will be delivered by Tuesday October 24th (I am writing this on Thursday, October 19th).
This was not just one cherry picked item – some prices were even more preposterous. The reality is it costs money for home delivery. That won’t change – only the method of hiding the cost.
There is no such thing as a free delivery.