For Variety and Value, Buy Your Dried Fruits and Nuts Online

By Earl Hunsinger

When you think of the Internet, do you think of fruits and nuts? Put another way, when you think of making purchases online, have you ever considered the possibility of buying dried fruits or nuts?

Many buy clothing or electronics online, and of course, online auction sites allow you to find almost anything. However, when it comes to buying food, the idea of looking online probably never enters the minds of most people. For most foods that is probably a good thing.

After all, who would want a box of tomatoes after the post office had kicked it around for a few days, or a package of meat after it had been sitting in a hot truck somewhere. Some of us won't even buy a box of cereal if the corner is crumpled.

For other items, like canned goods, we'd end up paying more for shipping than the item is worth. Lastly, unless we're very organized, we don't want to have to wait until next week for our groceries.

In contrast, a good variety of fresh food is usually available in local stores and markets at fairly reasonable prices. Normally, such stores are very convenient, with perhaps multiple stores to choose from within easy driving or walking distance from our residence or place of work.

So then, because of the issue of freshness, the inconvenience, and the shipping cost involved, buying food online is normally just not worth it.

So, why are we talking about it? Because there are exceptions to this rule, including foods with a high markup, that are lightweight and easily preserved. Dried fruits and nuts fall into this category, as do some candies and other gourmet items. If you have never thought of shopping online for these items, consider these benefits:

• Greater variety
• Convenience
• Better prices

First, although it's possible to buy raisins or dried apricots in most grocery stores, how easy is it to find dried cantaloupe or dried nectarines? In the same way, even if you can find walnuts or pecans, can you find blanched almond meal or wasabi peas? Shopping online, you can find these and more.

Do you prefer organic? In the shell? Out of the shell? Unsalted? Why settle for whatever the grocery store feels is the most popular, if by shopping online at a specialty store you can have your choice.

In addition to regular dried fruits and nuts, many online stores have flour, butter, mixes, candies, etc. For example, try the granola at Nutty Guys or the dried kiwi at Nuts Online.

What about convenience? Didn't we establish that it was inconvenient to shop for food online? Well, yes and no. When shopping online you will have to wait longer than it would take to run to the corner store. But can you find the same variety at the corner store?

If you can find the same variety at a brick and mortar store, how many miles would you be willing to travel to shop there? By comparison, waiting a few days for a package to be delivered right to your door may not seem so inconvenient.

Finally, believe it or not, you can get better prices by shopping online. This is especially true if you put forth a little effort to shop around. Some online stores offer discounts when buying in bulk. Others even have free shipping when ordering a certain quantity.

So then, if you like dried fruits and nuts, don't settle for what you can find at your local store, try shopping online. You may be surprised by what you find!