ShopRite Taking Military Orders

JULIE GALLAGHER

OAKLAND, N.J. — As the exclusive owner of Netgrocer.com's fulfillment process, ShopRite of Oakland is satisfying holiday orders for service members stationed abroad.

Comprising about half of Netgrocer's business during other points of the year, military orders grow by 25% during the winter holiday months, said Drew Vitulano, who manages the ShopRite store.

Though perishables and liquids above 16 ounces are restricted, military members and their families have 30,000 items to choose from. The most frequently sought are toiletries, chips, candy and, during the holidays, ingredients for baking. That's why Netgrocer is discounting spices by 50% and baking items by 25% during December.

“It's been a very tough year for our military so we wanted to offer some sort of thank you,” Vitulano said.

In that spirit, Netgrocer will take $20 off orders placed Dec. 24-26 that are destined for bases, military ships and U.S. embassies overseas. The discount will cover shipping costs, which average around $15 for a package sent to Afghanistan, for instance. Once picked from store shelves, orders are shipped via the U.S. Postal Service and arrive within two weeks.

ShopRite/Netgrocer is catering to U.S. service members at a time when other retailers are recognizing the demographic. As a thank you to those stationed overseas, Whole Foods Market has waived shipping fees for gift boxes sent to military addresses this holiday season.