In an age where we plan days around convenience and saving time, online grocery shopping has emerged. Instead of rolling a shopping cart around each aisle to check off points on a list, we are able to see what an entire grocery store has to offer on a screen from any location of our choosing. At neighborhood grocery markets like Wal-Mart, Target, and Smith’s, grocery shopping has the potential to be done within minutes without standing in lines or finding a close parking spot. It is incredibly convenient for many and allows time that would be spent at the grocery store to be spent doing other various tasks. With these seemingly positive factors being the case, there is one major issue: the lack of human connection. By addressing the popular demand to find ways to minimize time on a task that is thought of as unworthy, simple social skills are left behind with the grocery carts and free sampling. Although an errand such as grocery shopping seems mundane and can be completed quickly by choosing items online and picking them up at nearby locations, convenience is overwhelming many aspects of daily living.
There are situations where online shopping could benefit impulsive buyers, help create a healthier meal prep, and save time in severe situations; however, human connection and the sense of community is slowly crumbling with these technological advancements. The push for personal checkout lines makes going in and out of the grocery store more time efficient and requires less energy, but simple conversations with workers and potentially other people waiting in a checkout line are missed. What’s next? An app that has predetermined lists sent into the grocery stores of what kind of food you should be eating so you don’t even need to think for yourself either? Connections can pass by without a second thought, but by being present in a group setting and amongst people already shopping like you, there is something shared between you and the people surrounding you. Even if there are no vocal interactions, there are social cues and observations constantly happening that can only be experienced first hand.
Recently while I was grocery shopping, there were five employees who simply said “hello” or “good morning” to me with a smile as they were stocking shelves or counting inventory. Usually I would not feel inclined to count these interactions or give them a second thought, but even connections as simple as these contribute to the experience of being a part of a community. They are also not possible to experience from a computer. Next time you get groceries, notice the greeter at the door, the employee checking customers out and the one bagging, and the cheese guy who knows too much about cheese. Maybe even try to avoid the self-checkout and wait in a different line around… other people.