One of the joys of living in Shanghai is the abundance of home delivery options. From fine wines to DVDs to that coat rack that just wouldn’t fit into a cab, online shopping and home delivery make life so simple for the expat community that venturing outside to shop has become optional. With a simple click of a mouse, you can find an excess of online grocery stores and supermarkets featuring an impressive array of imports and local products that will deliver your weekly grocery list right to your doorstep.

Whether you’re craving culinary comforts from home, too busy to shop in person, or just need a cup of soup to soothe your pollution-induced cough, open up your web browser and head to one of these home delivery sites for immediate grocery gratification:

1) Smart Direct is a grocery delivery service that acts as a clearinghouse for local products as well as offering typical supermarket items. In addition to home delivery of Marks & Spencer’s grocery products, Smart Direct also sells homemade jams and chutneys from Amelia’s Marketplace (www.ameliasmarketplace.com), frozen Italian meals and sauces from Da Marco (www.damarco.com.cn), baked goods from Mediterranean Bakery (www.meidifood.com), frozen Australian meat pies from Shanghai Pie Company (www.shanghaipie.com), fresh yogurt from Ambrosia, and organic produce from Shanghai Organic (www.shorganic.com). Their handy recipes section makes dinner the simplest meal of the day. Just select the recipe you want and Smart Direct’s innovative system adds the ingredient list to your cart. Don’t forget to check the online coupon section before you check out!

Address: Online store only.

Delivery: Delivery fees within Shanghai depend on location, with most of downtown Puxi receiving free delivery (minimum order of RMB 100). Orders placed before 3 p.m. will be delivered within three hours. Weekend orders must be placed before Friday at 6 p.m.

Website: www.smartdirect.cn

Hours: Home delivery is available between 12:00 and 20:00

2) City Shop is a local grocery store geared toward expats and offers the widest range of imported products in Shanghai. Their new English (and Japanese) language website makes ordering online even easier. With a bakery offering a selection of made-to-order sandwiches and homemade breads, a local farm supplying fresh produce, and a wide selection of wines, liquors, and beers, City Shop offers the best selection of imported goods in the city. Prices are high, but they definitely give you the best bang for your imported buck.

Address: City Shop has nine locations throughout Shanghai.

Delivery: Delivery within Shanghai is RMB 20. For orders over RMB 200, delivery is free. Delivery within 24 hours on orders placed before 15:00.

Website: www.cityshop.com.cn

Hours: Home delivery is available from 09:00. to 20:00

3) Carrefour offers an online shop with everything from groceries to sporting goods & leisure products. The French hypermarket’s home delivery option helps you beat the weekend crowds and find local prices and weekly specials from the comfort of your home. Although not all products available in stores are found online, Carrefour’s online shop does give you the best variety of local products for the lowest price.

Address: Carrefour has nineteen locations throughout Shanghai.

Delivery: Delivery within downtown Shanghai is free (minimum order of RMB 100). Delivery outside Shanghai starts at RMB 60. Orders are delivered within two days.

Website: http://e-shop.carrefour.com.cn/

Hours: Home delivery is available from 09:00. to 18:00 

4) Feidan specializes in providing imported food from around the world. You won’t find many local products here, but it’s your one-stop destination for reasonably priced cured Italian meats, French cheeses, and American breakfast cereals. Beyond their grocery options, Feidan has also cornered the market on delivering international magazines and newspapers.

Address: Feidan has five locations throughout Shanghai.

Delivery: Delivery within downtown Shanghai is free (minimum order of RMB 100). Orders are delivered within three hours of ordering (if made before 18:00).

Website: http://www.feidan.cn/

Hours: Home delivery is available from 09:30 to 21:00

5) My Local Store offers a smaller selection of imported and domestic products than its competitors, but differentiates itself with its unique loyalty program. The My Local Store Points program lets your earn one point for every RMB 1 spent and often promotes products that are worth extra points. My Local Store then offers a selection of products that can be redeemed for points.

Address: Online store only.

Delivery: Delivery within Shanghai is RMB 10. With an order of RMB 100 or more, the delivery fee is waived. Orders placed before 16:30 are delivered the next day.

Website: http://www.mylocalstore.cn/

Hours: Home delivery is available from 08:00 to 17:00. After hours delivery is available between 17:00 and 20:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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