One reason for the jump is that since the start of the year, Peapod has waived its delivery fees — $6.95 for orders over $100 and $9.95 for orders between $60 and $100 — for 60 days for new customers.
In addition, Peapod has been emphasizing its ability to save shoppers money. "The Web functionality makes it really easy to be a smart shopper," said Merzbacher. Among the money-saving features: a running total of expenditures as shoppers compile their order; the ability to trim orders if they exceed the shopper’s budget; less impulse shopping; and a function that compares the unit price of similaritems. Peapod’s system also allows shoppers to identify which of their customary purchases are on sale.