Maintaining the Web site is the easy part, he said. But he also has in-house direct marketing staff to follow through. Valicoff said people are becoming more comfortable with buying over the Internet. There are several on-line grocery stores. Older generations are making the transition to on-line shopping, and younger people are going to take it for granted.
Internet shopping saves the customer time, and wear and tear on the car.
It will also have an impact on communities and infrastructure. Now, instead of a hundred people getting into their cars and going to the grocery store, one delivery van will take groceries to their homes. Fruit in bushel boxes has arrived in better condition than smaller packs, possibly because the bushel pack is stronger and can't be thrown. The cost of shipping is an issue, he said, but successful mail order companies like Harry and David have proven that it is not an insurmountable barrier. Valicoff believes people buying apples on the Internet are the more affluent, although prices are competitive with those charged in grocery stores.