7 King Soopers Secrets That Cost Coloradans Money When They Miss Them

A few dollars here and there at the grocery store doesn’t feel like much until you add it up over the course of a year.

Coloradans who shop at King Soopers can lose money to small rules that many shoppers don’t notice.

Here are the King Soopers details that can cost you if you miss them.

1. Boost Trial Renewal

King Soopers lets you try its Boost membership free for 30 days, but you enter payment information to start.

When the trial ends, your card gets charged for an annual membership unless you cancel first, according to the Boost page.

You can cancel any time before the end of the 30-day trial at Membership Management.

The free trial is also limited to one per household.

Kroger’s 2024 announcement listed Boost at $59 a year for next-day delivery and $99 a year for two-hour delivery.

Many shoppers lose track of a sign-up once it’s done.

A calendar reminder fixes that.

2. Pickup Order Repricing

King Soopers pickup orders under $35 carry a $4.95 fee, according to the pickup FAQ.

Your checkout total is an estimate that may change because of coupons, substitutions, taxes, weighted items or price updates.

Online prices reflect the in-store price on the day you order, though some prices may change before you pick up.

King Soopers’ delivery page says edits to an order before pickup or delivery may reprice any new or expired sale items, coupons, rewards or product substitutions.

For next-day pickup, you can add or edit items until midnight the day before.

Once you submit a same-day pickup order, you can no longer change it.

3. Delivery Slot Fees

King Soopers lists a $6.95 delivery fee for Kroger Delivery, which is same-day or later, on its delivery page.

If you pick Instacart delivery, which can arrive in as soon as two hours, the fee is $9.95.

That makes the Instacart slot $3 more than a Kroger Delivery slot.

An extra $4.95 Express fee applies to the fastest same-day option, which Instacart also delivers.

If you have Boost, the delivery FAQ says you still pay the $4.95 surcharge on express orders.

There are two membership levels, Boost59 and Boost99.

Boost99 members pay only the surcharge, while Boost59 members pay $14.95 total.

That puts the Boost59 total $10 above the Boost99 total on an express order.

Fees also vary by day, time slot and Boost membership status.

4. Points Expiration

King Soopers points expire at the end of the month after you earn them, according to its points program page.

By that wording, points you earn in October run out at the end of November.

There's no limit to the number of points you can earn each month.

Some shoppers only check a points balance when they're ready to spend it.

5. Pickup Substitution Pricing

King Soopers can substitute an out-of-stock item on your pickup order.

If you accept it, you're charged the price of the substitute, according to the pickup FAQ.

If the same type of item comes in a larger quantity, King Soopers upgrades your order to the larger item.

Since you're charged the price of the substitute, the larger item's price is the one you pay.

Failing that, the same brand in different packaging, or the same type of item from a different brand, may be substituted.

You may refuse substitutes before your order is completed and loaded into your car, so look them over before you drive off.

If you get home and aren't satisfied, you're welcome to return a substitute to a store at any time for a full refund.

6. SNAP-Ineligible Online Fees

If you qualify for SNAP EBT benefits, King Soopers says you can buy items that meet USDA SNAP eligibility guidelines.

You can't use a SNAP EBT card to pay for tips, delivery fees, ordering fees or convenience fees on online orders, according to its SNAP page.

King Soopers charges the backup card if your final total at fulfillment ends up above the original total shown at checkout.

7. Freshness Guarantee

King Soopers says it will make it right with a replacement or refund if you don't love an item, according to its Freshness Guarantee page.

The guarantee covers produce freshness problems plus Kroger Brand, Simple Truth and Private Selection items that didn't meet your expectations.

A covered item often goes in the trash instead of back to the store.

Ask before you toss it.

Bring the item back to your store for a replacement.

For an in-store refund, you contact customer service by phone or live chat.

That refund comes as a credit on your Kroger Plus card.

If you shop pickup or delivery, you can request a refund on the Kroger site or app under Purchase History.

Those refunds go to the payment method you used, except for EBT and gift card purchases.

Once a refund is confirmed, it takes 5-7 business days to receive it via your payment method.

The guarantee excludes alcohol, gift cards, taxes and fees.

Gift Card Points

King Soopers gives you 2 points for every $1 you spend on most gift cards, according to its points program page.

Most groceries earn 1 point for every $1, so a gift card earns twice as many points.

That makes $100 in eligible gift cards worth 200 points, or $2 off groceries at a rate of $1 per 100 points.