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Angie Stewart called it "life-changing" when she learned that her neighborhood grocery store offered online shopping with curbside pickup.

"I love it. It saves me so much time," said Stewart, a Sandy mother of four who works full time as a schoolteacher. "I haven't gone on a regular [grocery] shopping trip since I discovered it last August."

The grocery industry calls the service "click and collect," and it's a growing trend in stores across the country — including dozens in Utah.

It's different from home delivery, like the ones offered by Utah's Winder Dairy or through Amazon's Prime Pantry or AmazonFresh. Online ordering and curbside pickup has become an attractive option for parents with young children and working professionals, who have limited time, but still need milk in the refrigerator and toilet paper in the cupboard.

Walmart was one of the first grocery stores in Utah to offer click and collect, and it currently has 18 stores in Utah that offer the service, said spokesman Scott Markley.

More companies have come online in the past year.

Last June, Smith's Food & Drug began implementing its Click List program. As of last week, it had 20 stores in Utah offering the service, said spokeswoman Marcia Gilford.

Associated Food Stores in Utah also has embraced the technology: The Macey's Anywhere program is available at the 12 Macey's grocery stores between Logan and Provo; Lee's Online is available at stores in Logan, North Ogden and Smithfield; Winegars Curbside can be used at its stores in Bountiful and Roy; Lin's To Go is available in St. George and Hurricane; and Fresh Market to Go is available in Kaysville.

Harmons Grocery Stores will be jumping on the bandwagon soon, too, offering online ordering sometime in 2017, said spokeswoman Marcy Rice.

Whole Foods' service has not yet made its way to Utah.

Stewart, who shops at Macey's in Sandy, says the online shopping not only saves her time and "gives me back my Saturday afternoons," but it also helps her avoid impulse buying. "I'm not walking through the store, grabbing things because they look good or the kids want them," she said.

How to shop • While the technology varies from store to store, the process is usually the same: Customers go to the store website to order items — from milk and eggs to apples and zucchini. On the order form, there's a place for notes so you can tell the store any details; maybe you prefer green bananas, for example, or ripe avocados.

Before sending the order, shoppers select their desired pickup time. After the order is placed, the store requires a lead time ­ — usually about four hours — so employees have time to select items, bag them and have them ready. Unless you're ordering in the late afternoon, most orders can be picked up on the same day.

At the store, customers park in a designated area and call or text to let the store know they've arrived. Before loading the items into the car, employees will go over the order, mentioning items that may have been out of stock, and what was given as a replacement.

Payment is made at the time of pickup.

While it's a dream to have a personal shopper, the service is not always free. Smith's offers customers three free Click List orders and then charges $4.99 on subsequent orders. Macey's and other Associated Food Stores locations charge $1.99 per order. Walmart is the only store that offers the service free.

The minimal fee is "well worth it," says Cheri Greenburg, who on a recent snowy day was picking up a grocery order at the new Smith's Food and Drug in Woods Cross. "I hate grocery shopping and I hate getting out of my car this time of year," said the North Salt Lake resident.

Greenburg said she puts together her shopping list the night before and appreciates that the website keeps track of the items and brands she buys the most. "It's all right there," she said, noting that the website points out sale items and opportunities to use digital coupons, "something I might not pay attention to on a regular shopping trip."

Utah grocery stores declined to give out specific numbers of customers who use the service, but said it seems most popular with mothers of young children and working professionals.

Alli Wright fits the demographic. The mother of two decided to try Smith's Click List last week for the first time after a sister and friend suggested it. "Just the idea of not having to traipse through the store with two little kids is worth it," she said.

It was particularly helpful on this winter day, when her baby was sick. "I still needed to get groceries, so it was nice to not have to take her out of the car or expose her to anyone else in the store."

Once customers try the service, they usually continue. Said Markley with Walmart: "Ninety percent of customers who use the service are repeat users and as they place more and more orders, the number of items in their baskets increase — particularly the number of fresh items as our personal shoppers are winning their trust."

Future of shopping • The grocery stores are investing heavily in the click-and-collect programs, buying technology that makes it easy for customers to order online or with a cellphone or tablet. The technology also helps employees gather groceries quickly for several orders at a time using hand-held devices.

"Online competition is what is driving this," said Jason Sokol, director of marketing for Associated Foods. "We need to reach out to shoppers who are convenience-oriented. A lot of them are interested in saving time and making their life easier. This is where the service comes in."

Stores also are spending money to train employees specifically to select and deliver orders accurately.

At Smith's Food and Drug, for example, "selectors," as they are called, get 36 hours of training on how to use the shopping technology and select items. Two hours are spent just on fresh produce and meat selection.

"We are better at selecting items than most shoppers," explained Bryant Toller, Smith's e-commerce field specialist who conducts the training.

Selectors make three separate trips through the store, said Toller: one for nonperishables, another for refrigerated items and a third for freezer products. Other employees double check the orders in the holding area to make sure everything is accurate.

Debbie Burton is semi-retired and one of several Smith's selectors. She likes knowing that her work helps out busy moms and dads. "I wish the service had been available when I was working because the last thing I wanted to do was grocery shop on my day off," said Burton, who walks several miles a day shopping for others.

"It's great, I don't have to go to the gym," she joked. "Now I just have to figure out how to get someone to do my laundry."

Click-and-collect grocery shopping in Utah

Dozens of Utah grocery stores offer online ordering with curbside pickup. To get started, just visit the store website and click on the link to order online. Service fees vary from free to $4.99 per order.

Fresh Market To Go • Available at the Kaysville store; service fee of $1.99 per order; freshmarketstores.com/kaysville

Harmons • Online ordering expected in 2017

Lee's Online • Available at stores in Logan, North Ogden and Smithfield; service fee of $1.99 per order; home delivery also available with service charge ranging from $4.99 to $14.99; leesmarketplace.com

Lin's Fresh Market To Go • Online ordering available at St. George and Hurricane stores; service fee of $1.99 per order; linsgrocery.com/togo

Macey's Anytime • Available at all 12 locations from Logan to Provo; service fee of $1.99 per order; maceys.com

Smiths Food & Drug • Click List is available at 20 stores in Utah; the first three orders are free; $4.99 on subsequent orders; smithsfoodanddrug.com

Walmart • Online ordering available at 18 stores in Utah; service is free; grocery.walmart.com

Winegars Curbside • Groceries to go offered at the Bountiful and Roy stores; service fee of $1.99 per order; winegars.com