How Zippy Started

Back in 2020, our Founder, Emma Christensen was a full-time student at the University of Denver, nannying and delivering groceries for an app-based service. Amidst the supply chain shortages brought by the pandemic, Emma often found herself asking clients through the app about substitutions and out of stock items and quickly realized there has to be a better way to manage grocery shopping and delivery to improve the experience of the client and the shopper. After receiving no responses from a client about a large order from Target, Emma had to use her best judgement and hope the client would be okay with what she was able to obtain without hearing back on any of their preferences. The major roadblock came when Emma was unable to access the apartment unit to deliver the dozen stuffed bags, paper products and beverages. 

Fortunately, Emma was able to ask a resident of the building if she would mind letting her through to the elevators so she could bring the client their items. This sweet lady told her, “You know, we aren’t really supposed to let strangers into the building…” Emma explained that she wasn’t going to cause any trouble and just needed to be able to drop off groceries for someone who hadn’t replied to 15 messages in 90 minutes, so that she could move on to her next delivery. She agreed and let Emma follow her through to the elevator with the first round of groceries, and even offered to help a second time for the rest of the order. 

While riding up the elevator, she asked Emma, “So, do you shop at Target for people? My daughter never goes to Target for me.” Emma explained that she worked for a delivery app service and began telling her how she could get items delivered to her from Target. She interjected and said, “No, I mean can you shop at Target for me?” Emma didn’t expect her to say that, but agreed and said sure. Emma gave her phone number to the woman, who she now knew was named Pauline. Ever since, Pauline sends Emma a photo of her handwritten grocery list to place her orders. 

The first business class Emma took in college (which is where she ended up meeting her fiance) had a major group project and one of the categories that groups could choose was developing a business targeted at helping the aging community. Not a single group in any of the class sections chose to do their project for the aging community. Meeting Pauline, a widow with no car who moved to Denver after living in New York, was the spark Emma needed to realize that entire demographics have been left out of the benefits from the popularity of app-based services. With a client list just one person long, the concept of Zippy was born with a desire to expand.

Join Zippy Today!

Zippy private shopping order delivered to a single family home with reusable bags on the porch

Personal & Household Delivery

Starting at $20/order delivery fee

Level up your household’s grocery delivery experience with Zippy. Your ordering experience is entirely customizable and consistency among your shopper brings peace of mind for a safe and completed grocery delivery order, every time.

Starting at $25/order delivery fee

Zippy offers grocery delivery services to our business office clients- providing a reliable grocery delivery of the essentials you need to keep your office running. Whether your business needs a lot or just a few things, Zippy delivers a consistent and complete order and only needs to learn where to park and how to access your business once.

Business & Office Delivery

Zippy grocery delivery to short term rental unit for guests upon arrival

Short- Term Rental Guest Delivery

Starting at $40/order delivery fee

Treat your short term rental guests to the luxury of checking in to their home away from home with their essentials for their stay waiting for them, in the refrigerator and freezer as necessary. Your Zippy shopper will require access to your rental unit like a cleaning crew.

  • Zippy

    Inspired by submitting data analytics college projects as a compressed or zipped files with the exact nomenclature and elements required by a specific professor, at Zippy we strive to get you everything that you need in your order, your way- the first time around! Unless there are regional supply chain issues, your Zippy shopper can ensure you get everything in your order that you need- even if it means making extra stops.

  • Your Order, Your Way

    We know that app-based grocery services don’t work the best for everyone for any number of reasons. At Zippy, we work with our clients to ensure our services are accessible and that unique requests can be safely honored. Our communication and payment methods offer a wide range to meet our clients where they are at regarding shopping communications and technology.

  • Consistency

    Reliable shoppers who learn the preferences of all our clients for a seamless private shopping service and delivery. A human shops for you who knows your allergies, preferences, budget, substitutions and more so you’re never disappointed by your grocery delivery again

  • Improved Safety

    Zippy is a small Colorado local business, so our clients are able to reduce how often and how many different people they need to provide the building or home access to. Typically, your primary shopper completes every order you place with Zippy, so you don’t have to worry about a revolving door of people knowing about your home.

  • Efficiency

    Particularly for those in multi-unit housing, it can be challenging to explain or allow building access for an and help an app-based service worker. With Zippy Private Shopping, the logistics are streamlined and your shopper becomes familiar with the parking and access for each client- no more messages and calls back and forth trying to track down your grocery order!

  • Price Transparency

    Gone are the days when you realize your grocery delivery order would have been  cheaper if you went to the store yourself. We know that shopping on your own can have any number of roadblocks- whether you no longer drive, have mobility issues, or challenging work & child care schedules, which is why Zippy passes savings along to each client. The price we pay is what will reflect on your order total, with a flat, consistent, 10% service fee.

  • Bulk Prices Without the Bulk

    Zippy offers high-quality bulk staple items without having to commit to the entire package. If you have limited space or are in a small household, check out our bulk product offerings.

  • Tipping Not Required

    At Zippy, we provide service and value to the client while adequately accounting for the time and efforts of shoppers and overhead business operations- so there is no need to tip your shopper

  • Item Availability Guarantee

    Zippy shoppers are able to shop more than one store and complete multiple transactions to deliver all the necessities our clients need in one delivery. This guarantee requires order details to be submitted on time and does not include items with regional supply shortages.

Contact us.

zippyprivateshopping@gmail.com

983.208.7247