Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Jet online shopping – should you buy anything on Jet.com?
I would say yes, BUT let me give you these recommendations to ensure you get their very best prices before we take a look at some individual comparisons.
- Take advantage of any special offers and free shipping. As of this writing, first-time buyers will receive a 15% discount on their order. Plus, shipping is always free on orders over $35.
- Check RetailMeNot for Jet.com coupons and/or discount codes.
- Buy more than 1 when it makes sense. Jet offers quantity discounts. The Maxwell House coffee example below is $7.02 when you buy 1. You save 35 cents off your order if you buy 2; and, 47 cents off your order if you buy 3 and so on. The more you buy, the more you get off your order. This could be comparable to using a cents off coupon on an in-store purchase.
Making sense of it all – grocery comparison
Jet.com says it’s “the smartest way to shop and save big on everything from TVs to toilet paper.” With that claim in mind, let’s take a look at what might make sense to get from Jet.com if you were to shop for a few common items this week.
I randomly picked out these examples for comparison with no preconceived idea what I would find.
All prices were taken from the websites of Jet, Meijer, Amazon, and Walmart at the time of this writing. Meijer is used here as an example of what you may find at your local grocery/superstore aside from Walmart.
Tide Coldwater Clean Fresh Scent High-Efficiency Liquid Detergent, 72 Loads, 138 oz
- Jet online shopping price – $19.99
- Meijer price – $17.99
- Amazon price – $28.75** what?!!
- Walmart price – $17.97
Meijer and Walmart are clear winners here if you can shop in-store and/or can avoid extra shipping charges . Plus, you’re likely to find coupons. Tide coupons have been in abundance lately which would increase your in-store savings.
Huggies Snug and Dry – size 2 (package counts differ so compare price each)
- Jet online shopping price – 140 ct – $25 (17.8¢ / each)
- Meijer price – 104 ct – $18.99 (18.3¢/ each)
- Amazon price – 100 ct – $29.69 (30¢/ each)
- Walmart price – 104 ct – $18.77 (18.1¢ / each)
Meijer and Walmart are winners again. Plus, in-store shopping gives you the advantage of extra savings by using coupons. Huggies.com has manufacturer's coupons available most of time.
Maxwell House Ground Coffee Master Blend – 30.6 Oz
- Jet online shopping price – $7.02 ($0.23/Ounce)
- Meijer price – $7.49 ($0.24/Ounce)
- Amazon price – $15.70 Prime pantry ($0.51/Ounce)
- Walmart price – $7.02 ($0.23/Ounce)
Jet and Walmart are in a dead heat for this item. Meijer runs a close second. Sales and coupons will make a significant difference for in-store shopping on this item. For example, Meijer has this item on sale for $5.99 this week, plus you can save an additional $0.25 off with a current coupon.
Since Jet online shopping declares big savings on toilet paper, let’s see where they stand in that department.
Scott Extra Soft Toilet Paper, white, 12 double rolls
- Jet online shopping price – $10.99
- Meijer price – $5.99
- Amazon price – $22.99 Prime price
- Walmart price – $5.98
Once again, the best price comes from Meijer and Walmart. Plus, you usually have the in-store advantage of being able to snag coupons for toilet paper on a regular basis. So where’s the Jet “big savings”? Maybe if you’re buying more than one? Not seeing it here. And Amazon is plainly way out of the ballpark.
Going beyond groceries
Ok, so we’ve covered a few basic grocery items. What about TVs? When you shop for a TV it’s difficult to compare apples to apples. Many retailers can carry the same basic TV but with some small differences that can either jack up the price or lower it. Take, for example, the Samsung 40” Class 1080p LED HDTV. Meijer is out of the picture on this one, but let’s see what the others have to offer.
- Jet online shopping price on a Samsung 40” Class 1080p LED HDTV – UN40H5003 (2016 model) is $277.99 and free shipping.
- Amazon price on a Samsung 40″ Class 1080p LED HDTV – UN40H5003 (2014 model) is $225.25 plus free shipping.
- Walmart sells the Samsung 40″ Class 1080p LED HDTV – UN40H5003A (no model year listed) for $277.99 with free shipping.
Jet and Walmart pricing is exact. So it’s just a matter of preference. There may be some variables that could determine which place you’d want to order from; shipping time, guarantees and/or warranties, customer service experiences, etc. Interestingly, Amazon indicated that this particular TV was a 2014 model which may account for the lower price. When it comes to any electronics, model years may make a difference in upgraded device features and/or components.
The bottom line to shopping online
Just this handful of comparisons is enough to indicate that it pays to shop around. Do some price checking before assuming that you’re always getting the best deal from a particular retailer in spite of the claims they may make. Special discounts and free shipping go a long way to even out the playing field between online retailers.
Online shopping may be quick, convenient, or possibly your only option. However, as our examples indicated, on a regular basis you still may do better in the savings department by shopping at your local brick and mortar stores and using coupons.
