Table of contents
- Arriving at the store
- Navigating the store
- Selecting items
- Scanning items
- Substitutions and unavailable items
- Checking out
- Delivering items
If you accept a Shop & Deliver order from H-E-B or Central Market, you’ll be prompted to shop for the items inside H-E-B before delivering to the customer. To help you complete these orders quickly and efficiently, our expert Runners and H-E-B Partners have compiled tips and tricks for everything from navigating the stores to delivering the order.
Arriving at the store
We recommend reviewing the location in the Runner app to verify you’re visiting the correct store. Each store has a unique inventory, and certain orders at specific locations will require a Partner to review your cart.
Navigating the store
Most H-E-B stores follow a similar layout. Knowing the layout can help you shop quickly and efficiently.
- Produce is found at the front of the store on the left or right side
- Refrigerated items are found along the back wall
- Dry goods are located in the center aisles
The Runner app will display items in an ideal shopping sequence to help you navigate the store quickly and keep food fresh. Additionally, each item has detailed location information and can be scanned in the app to help ensure the customer’s order is correct.
H-E-B Shoppers advise selecting produce first, then dry goods, and finishing with cold items like meat, dairy, or ice cream. Shopping for cold items last can help preserve the temperature and keep them fresh as long as possible.
Selecting items
H-E-B does not allow in-store coupons or the purchase of items marked with a yellow discount sticker for Shop & Deliver orders. We recommend selecting an option without the discount sticker or substituting for a different item.
H-E-B Shoppers have provided tips for selecting the highest quality items available:
- Check expiration dates and choose the latest date available
- Avoid damaged or leaky packaging
- Review the customer’s Order notes and Substitution preferences when items are unavailable
- Call or text the customer if you have questions
Produce
H-E-B aims to keep the produce section at the peak of freshness. Still, it can be helpful to compare items to find the best option for your customer.
H-E-B requires all fresh produce to be bagged in one of the available produce bags. After the items are bagged, you can visit one of the scales to weigh the produce and print a barcode sticker. You can then attach the barcode to the produce bag and scan it in the Runner app to verify the item. If produce is not weighed at checkout, the cashier at H-E-B may ask you to return to the produce area to ensure all items are bagged, weighed, and labeled correctly.
When weighing items, it can be helpful to double-check the decimal point is in the right place. No one wants to be charged for 250 pounds of apples instead of 2.50!
When shopping for produce, it can be helpful to:
- Review customer preferences
- Reference in-app tips and tricks
- Review multiple options to find the best quality
When picking out avocados, tomatoes, or other soft fruits, finding the best option can be tough. When selecting these items, you can follow these tips:
- Pick options with minimal or no bruising
- Avoid selections with dents or damage from other customers
- Look for the freshest possible option
- Ask an H-E-B Partner for assistance if have trouble
Meat and deli items
Texans don’t joke when it comes to the steaks they grill or the brisket they cook. When you are shopping in the meat and deli section, there are a few tips you can keep in mind to help you get top quality items for the customer:
- Avoid bloody meat
- Avoid excessively dark meats
- Look for discoloration or bone dust
Refrigerated items
Refrigerated items are generally located along the back wall of the store. This area will house products such as cheese, breakfast meats, dairy, etc. Storing refrigerated items in insulated bags helps preserve item temperature and quality.
H-E-B Shoppers suggest comparing expiration dates and selecting the option with the latest expiration date.
Fragile items
Placing bread and eggs separately in the basket is a helpful way to make sure they arrive to the customer without damage. Other fragile items to keep in mind include flowers, produce, and items in glass bottles.
Dry goods
H-E-B Shoppers have provided the following tips for selecting dry goods:
- Brand: Noting the customer’s preferred brand can help you locate the item quickly on the shelf.
- Size: Many items have different size options that look very similar. It can be helpful to review the order when looking for the correct size.
- Packaging quality: If an item is dented, cracked, or has labels removed, it is recommended to look for an option without damage.
Frozen items
The Runner app will include frozen items at the end of the shopping list. To help preserve quality, we recommend shopping for frozen items last. Placing frozen items in an insulated bag can help preserve the item’s temperature while you shop and drive.
Ice cream is one of the most requested frozen items. You can reference the Runner app to check you are selecting the correct flavor, as this will not be detected by the barcode scanner.
Scanning items
The Runner app will prompt you to scan the barcode of each item while you shop, which can help you verify you selected the right item. When a customer orders multiple of the same item, you can scan the item multiple times to verify in the Runner app that you have the correct number of items. If you are unable to scan the barcode, you can enter the UPC code found under the barcode.
When you successfully scan the barcode or enter the UPC code, the item will be marked as Shopped and moved to the Complete section of the shopping list.
Scanning produce
H-E-B requires all fresh produce to be bagged, weighed, and labeled with a price sticker. Scales can be found in most produce aisles. You can simply place the produce on the scale, enter the unique code for the item, and follow prompts on the screen to print a price sticker. You can then scan the sticker to mark the produce as Shopped in the app. If the scale or printer is malfunctioning, you can scan the individual produce items one by one into the app.
Scanning an incorrect item
If an incorrect item is scanned that doesn't match the requested item, the Runner app will ask you if you are attempting to substitute the original item. If you want to scan an item as a substitute, you can select Substitute. If you mistakenly scanned the wrong item, you can select Cancel, then find the right item.
Substitutions and unavailable items
Each item in an order will need to be scanned to move through the shopping and checkout process in the app. If an item is unavailable, you can check the Runner app to review the customer's preference for substitutions. For every item, you should be able to see:
- Customer substitution preferences
- Specific customer notes (if submitted)
- Substitution recommendations from H-E-B and Central Market for similar items
Referencing customer preferences can help you select the customer’s preferred item.
Substitutions
When substituting an item, H-E-B recommends picking the closest option to the one the customer selected. It can be helpful to review size, brand, and item specifications when selecting a substitution.
Expert Runners shared the following tips for substituting items:
- Organic items can be swapped with other organic options
- Cage-free eggs can be swapped for other cage-free options
- It can be helpful to check for specialty requests such as plant-based butter, gluten-free bread, or non-lactose milk
Some items may not have substitutions available. If this happens, you can select No substitutions in the Runner app.
Partial substitutions
Sometimes, you may be able to fulfill part of the customer's original item request, but not all of it. For example, if a customer requested three honeycrisp apples with a substitution request for fuji apples, but there are only two available, you can scan the two honeycrisp apples, then scan one fuji apple to complete the request. Expert Runners recommend partial substitutes to help get the customer more of what they want.
Incomplete
If all items are not available, you can select part of the customer's original request. For example, if the customer had no substitution preference in the honeycrisp apple example above, you can also scan the two honeycrisp apples into the app, which will note the full item was unable to be completed.
Unavailable items
If an item is out of stock and you cannot substitute another item, or the customer has selected No substitutions, then you can mark the item Out of stock. Expert Runners recommend reaching out to the customer in these instances to make them aware of the unavailable items.
Checking out
After you have shopped for all the items you can head to the checkout area. You can reference the Runner app for check out instructions.
For some orders, you may be instructed to go through the checkout area and pay with your Runner card, while others might require you to complete a quick audit with an H-E-B Partner.
If you are prompted to show a QR code to the Partner at checkout, you can show it before items are scanned. If you show it after items are scanned, they will need to be rescanned.
When bagging groceries, it can help to follow common best practices. H-E-B trains their baggers to:
- Bag meats together
- Place produce together
- Bag eggs and bread separately
- Never bag hot items with cold items
- Never bag chemicals with food
- Aim for around 5 items per bag
If you have questions about bagging items, H-E-B Partners can help you in the store.
Delivering items
Once your order is audited and bagged, you can head to your vehicle. Expert Runners shared it can be helpful to separate multiple orders in your vehicle so they do not get mixed up.
Mapping your route ahead of time can help a speedy drop off. You can select your preferred mapping software in the Runner app Settings.
Expert Runners recommend texting or calling the customer if you have trouble locating them.
Some highway addresses can display inaccurately in certain mapping apps. Checking the address in another app can help confirm the location.
Confirmation photos are also available for all orders! For great customer service, expert Runners suggest:
- Taking a photo that includes features like the front door, address numbers, and unique details
- Taking a photo before knocking on the door for in-person deliveries
- Texting a photo to customers when multiple photos are necessary for large orders