my zip is 10017 and i have no problems.

FreshDirect is the most convenient way to shop for groceries in NYC…unless you live in a Public Housing building- they won’t deliver to you!

I attempted to order from FreshDirect on two separate occasions, both times using addresses for Public Housing buildings. After having my orders rejected by their website due to their inability to deliver to the addresses, I decided to test the site with different addresses throughout Manhattan (privately owned residential buildings, corporate office buildings and city owned residential buildings a.k.a. Public Housing) to see which addresses were accepted for delivery. Note: I am fully aware that there delivery is sometimes limited (so indicated by the asterisk on the zip code list found in their website.)

Since I know several different people who live in Public Housing throughout the city, I tested the FreshDirect service with some of those addresses. Some of the zip codes I used were 10002, 10025, 10026, and 11101. I started with 11101 (Long Island City – about 10 minutes from the FreshDirect warehouse) – I was shocked when this address was rejected, being located in such close proximity. When I called customer service, they explained the limited delivery and I pointed out that the website didn’t indicate this zip code had limited delivery. The only thing they could do was give me a lame apology for the inconvenience. I again attempted to place an order (this time for my 84 year old grandmother) using the 10025 zip code and, again, the address was rejected for delivery. This is when I decided to investigate this a bit further because; the 10025 address was rejected even though a block away, I have personally witnessed FreshDirect trucks making deliveries to privately owned residential buildings two blocks away on Central Park West, on Amsterdam Avenue, 100th Street, 103rd St., 96th St., etc. The same happened with the 10002 address, except they deliver to a privately owned residential building less than a block away. The 10026 address was also rejected, although, again, they deliver a few blocks away in the same zip code.

Ironically, I recently received a postcard from FreshDirect.com with a $50 dollar coupon to try their services….I won’t be able to use it because I too live in Public Housing and they won’t deliver to me!

I don’t see why their delivery areas are limited in such a peculiar way. I cannot believe that of all the residential addresses I entered, the only ones that are not part of FreshDirect’s delivery areas all happen to be City owned Public Housing buildings. ISN’T THIS CONSIDERED

DISCRIMINATION?!

Why does FreshDirect REFUSE to deliver to individuals residing in Public Housing???? UPS, FEDEX, DHL, USPS and many other companies deliver to them.

I think this NEEDS to be investigated. As a matter of fact…it MUST be investigated. How dare they refuse service to so many individuals! We’re in 2007…and DISCRIMINATION is apparently ALIVE AND WELL IN FRESHDIRECT!

I see a lot of criticism of FD in the online community. I understand that some of it cannot be avoided from the customer-provider relationship. But at the same time, as a frequent user of FD, i do believe that a lot of it is justified. That’s why our first step was to invite New Yorkers to our pre-launch discussion board to express their vision and wishes for a new company. So please visit us at http://www.breadnbrie.com and help us shape the company to best reflect the ideas of the community it will delivery to.

It seems more and more of these grocery stores and services who position their brand as more “natural” or “wholesome” are not what they seem… Whole Foods is the same way. They may have fresh food, but I see their trucks all over, and they waste paper on pamphlets and marketing materials like it is going out of style.

FD also has a warehouse which I am sure is supplied by big trucks. The delivery trucks are on top of that.

The intent of the post is not to diss FD completely. I just feel that its not the paraiah of goodness that it is made out to be. As much as the positives are exemplary, the negatives are not write offs. And for me they are a dealbreaker.

Kipesquire, thanks for the propoganda. It’s obvious that you work for FD, or have friends or family who do. I heard that they might have an opening in their marketing department. Want to apply ??

If FD trucks park illegally then they run the risk of getting ticketed, in which case their profits decline. You have a problem with this?

If they idle, then they burn more fuel, in which case their profits decline. You have a problem with this?

People use FD because it is a superior service. If it ceases to be a superior service, then people will stop using it. Behold “greedy” capitalism, which so many New Yorkers love to hate.

Meanwhile, the fact that you find FD “wasteful” is irrelevant, except to the extent that you choose not to use it. Why not just declare that ice cream, which ruins the environment by requiring refrigeration, is “wasteful” and ban it too?

I just learned from an acquitance of mine that FD is about to get a competition, which will be environmentally better than FD, and will not use as many boxes as FD. They opened a forum for discussion with their customers, so go check it out. http://www.breadnbrie.com