Google Express Review – Worth Trying?

The world has become a more mobile place. Over the past decade, the way people communicate, share, and even shop has completely changed. While ten or twenty years ago, the majority of these things were done in person or face to face, now most of them are done online. With this shift in the way the world works, companies and businesses have had to strive to stay relevant, changing their products and services to meet the needs of people today.

One of the ways companies have had to change can be seen very clearly with online shopping. While not a brand new phenomenon, the past few years have seen an extreme shift in how people shop. Instead of heading to a mall or store, most people prefer to do their shopping online, having it conveniently delivered to their homes. However, one of the problems with having things delivered is that they took so long to arrive, if something was needed soon, it made more sense to head to a store.

Google Express is working to adjust to this influx of online shoppers. The new service offered by Google isn’t just creating an online marketplace that connects some of the most popular stores available, it has also made delivery times much shorter. While most people are happy to receive their ordered items in one or two days, Google Express is now offering delivery overnight or in as little as two hours.

By changing the expectations people have on when they’ll get the items they’ve ordered online, Google Express is hoping to not only keep up with the needs and demands of the public, but also change the way shopping is done online.

What is Google Express?

Google Express is a new service offered by Google and a number of popular stores located across the country. Through Google Express, users and members can get overnight or even same-day delivery from the stores working with Google Express right to their doors.

While Google Express has been working in the delivery market for quite a while now, it has recently expanded its reach, adding cold grocery delivery to its list of order possibilities. With cold grocery delivery, users of Google Express will be able to get frozen and refrigerated products as well as fresh produce delivered right to their doors. Not only will this make the shopping experience more convenient, but because Google Express is able to provide the service with very few fees, it’s also a very inexpensive service.

How Google Express Works

The system for using Google Express is extremely straightforward, making it a simple process for anyone to pick up. By following the steps below, users will be able to get their products and groceries from their favorite stores delivered right to their door in record amounts of time.

Below are the steps users should follow to use Google Express.

1. Shop

Users can shop online from all the stores that are included on Google Express in one place. In the same way they would usually shop online, users can pick the products they need and simply place them in their cart at the end of their shopping session.

2. Pick Delivery Times

Because Google Express can deliver overnight or even the same day as an order is placed, it’s important for users to pick when they want their delivery made. For example, if they’re ordering perishable items, users can schedule a delivery time for then they’re home so they can bring the products in immediately. The same day and overnight delivery options are dependent on the availability of delivery windows.

3. Use Google Payments

Once users decide when they want their items delivered, they should check out using the Google Payments option. By using Google Payments, Google Express will be able to process the order in store and get a driver in place to deliver the order at the delivery time selected earlier.

For those who are already Google Express members, delivery for eligible orders are free and are often delivered in the fastest amount of time. However, for those who are not members of Google Express, there is a delivery charge. These charges for delivery start at $4.99 a store, though this could vary depending on store, location, and delivery time.

Where Google Express Delivers

Currently, the delivery areas for Google Express are a bit limited. While they can be found in several major cities, those in the South have little to no access to the service. At the moment, Google Express is concentrated in the California area and big cities in the north. However, as Google Express continues to expand and grow, more and more areas will find that they now have access to the service. For those who are interested in learning about the newest expansions of Google Express, it can be followed on Twitter.

The areas that have access to Google Express delivery can be found below.

Same Day Delivery

-San Francisco
-West Los Angeles
-Peninsula
-San Jose
-Manhattan
-Chicago
-Boston
-Washington DC

Overnight Delivery

-Arizona
-Northern California
-Southern California
-Nevada
-Wisconsin
-Michigan
-Illinois
-Indiana
-Ohio
-Iowa
-Minnesota
-Missouri
-Kentucky

The nine states above, from Wisconsin down, have only parts of their states offering overnight delivery. To get a fuller idea of where Google Express is available and when it might become available in other locations, Google has many different options for getting updates.

The Cost of Google Express

There are two different options available for those who want to use the Google Express service. The first is to get a Google Express membership, which is offered in yearly subscriptions, and the other is to not get a membership and pay per store, per order.

For members, free delivery is available on specific orders. Most stores who are part of Google Express have a store minimum. If members meet this minimum, their delivery will be free. However, if they don’t meet the minimum amount required by the store, they will be charged about $3. For members who want a delivery made within a two hour period, a $2.99 charge will be made per store.

There are certain products that require a service fee even if they are being purchased by Google Express members. Some of these items include bulkier products, cold groceries, or alcohol. The same fees will be applied to non-members.

For non-members, there is a $4.99 charge per store for orders that meet the minimums set by those stores. However, if non-members don’t meet the eligibility of these stores, they will be charged an additional $3, which is referred to as a small-order service fee.

For non-members, the cost for a two hour delivery time is also $4.99. Thankfully, for non-members, this means they will not be charged a separate charge for any cold groceries they purchased through Google Express.

Of course, the prices and charges listed above are subject to change, so users or members should make sure they have the most up to date information when buying with Google Express.

Google Express Membership

As mentioned above, there are two separate methods for purchasing items through Google Express. One is for those who are members and the other is for non-members. While the costs above will apply for members, in addition to those charges, they need to pay $95 for a year of the Google Express service.