Author Topic: Fresh Direct  (Read 7884 times)

Offline Greentea822

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Re: Fresh Direct
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2008, 01:05:08 PM »
I really like FD, even though they don't accept coupons.  They have good promotions, and I have had consistently positive experiences.  When they make a mistake they credit my account within seconds without even a question, and though the boxes are a problem, I see why they do things the way they do.  Honestly, it's just as expensive for them as it is bad for the environment, so even if 'green' motivations don't change their practices, I'm sure the cost factor will!

We are lucky to have a car, so I've been to TJ's on Metropolitan, Costco in LIC, and tons of whole foods and other markets in the 'burbs, and I have found that no matter what I end up going 5 places for what I need.  Whole foods has everything, but it's WAY too expensive for my budget.  TJs has lots of good stuff (sorbet, cereal, yogurt, cheese, frozen stuff) at a great price, but their fresh items (fish, meat, produce) are awful.  Stop and shop takes coupons and has great non-perishables, but fresh stuff is inconsistent at best, their stores are stinky, and the customer service is the WORST.  I love the fruit, veggies and nuts in our 'hood - no where else can you buy almonds and dates by the truckload for such a good price.  FD is great when you want high quality food (awesome selection of cheese, fresh food, and prepped items) and you don't mind paying a bit more for it (after factoring in delivery).  I wish there was such thing as affordable one stop shopping, but alas, there isn't.


Gothamist

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Re: Fresh Direct
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2008, 02:42:24 PM »
Why I broke up with Fresh Direct:

I started using the service when I was sick with the flu and couldn't bring myself to deal with the outside. It seemed easy enough, and while the amount of packaging they were using gave me pause, and I reservations about wasting so much gasoline to deliver food available in so many stores in the neighborhood, I tried to focus on how easy it was.

Then they fired all those immigrant workers, and started having problems with the union. (http://gothamist.com/2007/12/12/fresh_direct_ex.php)

Then I started noticing I was often waiting around for deliveries that arrived late, or at the very end of the delivery window. I began hearing myself say to my friends, "I'll be there as soon as I can, I'm waiting on Fresh Direct."

Then I began to see how frequently they were leaving items out of my orders. So each time I ordered, I waited for the truck, and then counted my items, and then spent a good five minutes on the phone (where was that phone number?) asking for a store credit for the missing items.

But the two final episodes the broke the camel's back: The day I came home from surgery looking forward to my advance order from Fresh Direct that never arrived. I spent the weekend eating takeout, until Monday when I called Met Food and found out they took phone orders and delivered for free on the same day.

This morning I stayed home drinking coffee, and missing out on the sunny weather, and the Fresh Direct driver did not bother delivering. They called me at 1:30 to check if I was home (obviously I was), apologized and then offered to redeliver from 3 to 5. Which means I would have waited for my delivery from 11 to 5, which is what, six hours? I declined, asked for a refund, and got my groceries from Met Foods in 45 minutes. On my way back I stopped at Espresso 77 and had a brownie. And I remembered, oh yeah, I live in a great neighborhood with all kinds of cool people. Let me support local business, immigrant labor, and do something for the environment. And turns out it's actually easier than dealing with customer service at that huge corporation.

Offline buddy

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Re: Fresh Direct
« Reply #17 on: March 17, 2008, 11:00:57 AM »
Love your "review" of FD, Gothamist.  You should email it to their Customer Service.  I'm off to Trader Joes today. 
First, do no harm.