In this post I’m going to be sharing some information about several of the best places online to order gourmet coffee. I will also be sharing some things that I consider will be useful prior to deciding where exactly to buy. Over the years, the things that I have learned related to this cover a pretty wide range. In the sections below, I want to focus on those that I consider to be the simpler and safer alternatives. In other posts I also provide additional information. Right now I want to mention some things that are true about shopping online in general, but particularly more important when buying things like gourmet coffee.
When browsing online, the potential exists for what started as information analysis to then turn into information paralysis . Possibly you might end up feeling like there are too many options to choose from. Perhaps you might devote a considerable amount of time to browsing, only to find out that you are missing some essential information. When information analysis becomes too time-consuming or difficult, it usually results in frustration (and not much longer after, in “that’s it for me!”).
That’s what I’m referring to by “information paralysis.” This could also be described as an abrupt end or a dead end. This post will help you avoid that.
For buyers who have experience in at least one thing related to shopping for gourmet coffee (gourmet coffees in general, particular brands, expertise in shopping in at least one marketplace like Amazon, etc.), buying gourmet coffee online is likely to be far easier than for someone who simply knows they like gourmet coffee, but that’s about it. So knowing at least a bit beforehand can turn out to be very helpful.
Just to be completely thorough, buying gourmet coffee online is not the solution 100% of the time. I would say for potential gourmet coffee buyers with little or no experience to at least consider exploring locally. That could be a bistro, a store that specializes in gourmet coffee, or even simply a supermarket that sells gourmet coffee. As I mentioned above, proceeding with some useful knowledge is far better than trying to buy online with little to no idea of how to do it (and especially when dealing with something like gourmet coffee).
Where You Can Order Gourmet Coffee Online
For those of you who are sure that you will be buying gourmet coffee online, here are some examples of the various types of websites you can order from:
- Websites that specialize in gourmet coffee, or even in their own brand
- Websites that offer gourmet coffee for various specific purposes (gifts, subscriptions, etc.)
- Niche websites that cater to a particular types of buyers (buyers looking for rare gourmet coffee, for example)
- Websites that sell beverage in general, like the ones operated by wholesale clubs and supermarkets
- Marketplace such as Amazon and eBay
The list above is by no means an exhaustive list, it’s just to give you an idea that it’s not necessarily going to be quick and easy to buy gourmet coffee online. It’s not always as easy as choosing one store that comes to mind or is at the top of page 1 of search engine results. Perhaps you might want to do some “comparison shopping” prior to the actual purchase, but how many or what types of stores would you choose for that? You may possibly not yet be able to distinguish gourmet coffee from other types. The term gourmet isn’t used the same way by all. Sometimes it’s used in error due to an honest mistake, sometimes it’s used in error on purpose (knowing it’s completely false), sometimes it’s used to bend the rules knowing that there is no gourmet coffee “police” to ensure that what shown on a label or an advertisement is accurate (usually this is done by brands/sellers that offer something close to but not quite gourmet coffee).
Ordering Gourmet Coffee Online Quickly and Easily
I’m writing this section for potential buyers who either want to or need to get their coffee fast, without having to browse a lot or do a lot of research. I am not going to be covering particular stores in this section, but rather what to have in mind if you want your ordering experience to be quick and easy when you get to that point. I cover quite a few types of stores and specific examples in other posts.
The most general thing that I can say is one I have to borrow from someone who wrote a book that has sold over 30 million copies so far (and this book still continues to sell well many years after he wrote it). Stephen Covey passed away some time ago, but fortunately we still have his book to turn to. The book contains all sorts of wisdom like, “begin with the end in mind.” While he naturally wasn’t addressing specifically the topic of buying online when he wrote that, it just seems like good advice overall. So don’t take it from me, but I do suggest you follow Covey’s advice. It will save you a lot of time and effort.
The better equipped you are before attempting to get gourmet coffee online, the quicker and easier it will be to get it done. Sometimes you won’t need to consider all that much (for example, someone looking to buy a gift basket already has a far more manageable task to begin with). Other times, much more might be required. Maybe you’re considering buying a gift for a gourmet coffee lover, but you just know that gourmet coffee is a “thing.” In other words, you get the point that some people are into gourmet coffee, but what the heck does gourmet coffee even mean?” That is a bit trickier to deal with. It’s essential to identify exactly what particular buying situation you are dealing with, and then to tailor the potential choices to that.
Pay Less When You Order Gourmet Coffee Online
If you want limit what you pay as much as possible, then you’ll want to go with “basic” gourmet coffee. In other words, gourmet coffee with the lowest difference in price compared to regular coffee . As the segment of “basic” gourmet coffee buyers grows, the typical trend is for the premium over regular coffee to decrease. So in this sense, there is some gourmet coffee available that can be relatively inexpensive. We can also consider “built in discounts” that may be available, which would result in savings once all costs are factored into the purchase. Based on my experience, most of the time the number one place (considering what I have explained previously in this paragraph) to save on a variety of basic gourmet coffees would be Amazon. For example, once the minimum price for an order to be eligible for free shipping (for Prime members) is met, buyers can get savings beyond already low prices for basic gourmet coffee. Other places (by that I mean suitable places to buy gourmet coffee) usually have higher minimums for free shipping.
There are some additional things to consider before proceeding. I cover a wider range of these things in other posts, but two are important enough that I want to mention them briefly here. First of all, consider the trade offs. Saving money some times may be at the expense of additional time and effort required. Before I mention the second, I have to say the following. I hate to yell (write in all caps), but sometimes I just simply need to get the message across and not worry too much about how I deliver it: DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOU’LL ALWAYS FIND THE LOWEST PRICES ON AMAZON (OR THAT IT’S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE BEST OPTION TO SAVE MONEY OVERALL)! Generally yes, but certainly not always true.
My runner-up here is any subscription service that offers a decent variety of basic gourmet coffees (and that has a rewards program), but this is more of a longer term option. Staying with them for a while can lead to some decent savings.
Don’t Fall Into These Traps Whey You Buy On The Internet
I’ll close this post with a few words to help you avoid common mistakes that can turn out to be very costly. First I’ll give you an example of what I meant when I “yelled” in the section above. There is a fancy word in the world of retailing called arbitrage. Said as simply as possible it means “buying low to sell high.” And I don’t mean buying wholesale to sell retail.
An example of arbitrage is buying on Walmart when things are on sale or otherwise deeply discounted then flipping on Amazon for a profit. I’m not here to pass judgment on the practice, but rather just to help you out. You don’t need to worry about this particular trap if you buy from Amazon itself and not a third party seller that sells on Amazon. I have a post dedicated to the topic of buying on Amazon specifically. There’s a lot you can do take advantage of the benefits of buying there, without ending up paying more than you should.
By now, you know that I pay a lot of attention to Covey’s words of wisdom. I don’t judge his books by their covers. I place a lot of trust in what he has written, because he earned my trust. Some companies and persons do things right, others don’t. We’re not shielded from the unscrupulous ones when shopping for gourmet coffee on the internet. In fact, ordering gourmet coffee online can be trickier. Some will assume that because you are buying gourmet coffee, you are inclined to pay more.