OurGroceries

Frequently Asked Questions

General questions

Features

Requests

Problems

What problem does OurGroceries solve?

OurGroceries lets you keep a single set of grocery lists for your family or household. Everyone can edit these lists on their mobile phone or web browser. Whenever anyone modifies a list, everyone else sees the changes right away.

For example, you might be at work and remember that you’re out of coffee. You use the OurGroceries application on your mobile phone to add it to the list. If your partner happens to go to the store later that day, they’ll see the new item on their mobile phone and pick up some coffee. Once they do so, they can cross it off the list and it will be crossed off on your list too—automatically.

How much does OurGroceries cost?

OurGroceries is free! We show unobtrusive ads at the top of the screen to help pay for development costs.

If you’d like to get rid of the ads, on Android devices you can purchase the “OurGroceries Key” app. Find out more about it on our news page. We’re working on a similar solution for iPhone and BlackBerry devices.

What devices is OurGroceries available for?

OurGroceries is available for the following devices:

iPhone®
iPod touch®
iPad™ (iPhone compatibility mode)
Any Android™-powered device.
Most BlackBerry® phones running OS version 4.5 or higher.
Most PC web browsers (try it now!)

Visit our download page to download OurGroceries.

Will you make a version for Microsoft Windows Phone 8?

While we do not currently support Windows Phone 8 devices, we are watching the market share numbers. When the mobile platform becomes popular enough, we will likely create an OurGroceries app for it.

How do I get OurGroceries?

Please see our download page for instructions. You can also see and edit Your Lists online.

Can I pay to get rid of the ads?

Yes! On Android devices you can purchase the “OurGroceries Key” app. Find out more about it on our news page.

On iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad you can purchase “OurGroceries Plus” from inside the app. Launch OurGroceries, go to the Settings screen, tap the first item called “Turn Off Ads”, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

We’re working on a similar solution for BlackBerry phones.

Must I purchase an upgrade for each device I own?

The upgrade (see previous question) is associated with the iTunes or Google account you use to buy it. If two devices uses the same iTunes account or the same Google account, the second purchase will be free. If the second purchase is on a phone with a different account, then it must be paid for again. This is the way all apps work in mobile app stores.

How do I change my master email address?

If your personal email address has changed and you want to use your new email address in OurGroceries, go to the Settings screen on the OurGroceries mobile application, pick List Sharing, and enter your new email address. You’ll receive a confirmation email from us with a link, and you should click on that link.

A new account will be created and it will include all of your existing lists. If you’re using OurGroceries to share lists between several mobile devices, do the above on all devices. After having done that, use your new email address when signing in to the website. You’ll have to set your password again there, because that’s not copied from your old account. Your old account won’t be deleted, but will be dormant.

Do I have to type in the full grocery item name each time?

No, OurGroceries keeps track of the items you’ve entered before and lets you search through them when adding an item. You can remove items from this list if you no longer want them to show up. OurGroceries automatically shows you the best matches as you type an item’s name, so you’ll rarely have to type more than the first letter or two.

How do I delete an item from the master list?

The master list (the list of all the items you’ve ever entered; see previous question) is displayed when you add an item to a grocery list. If there’s an item that you want removed from the master list, tap the “X” icon at the right of the row.

Can OurGroceries keep track of multiple shopping lists?

Yes! You can have one list for each store (Safeway, Costco, Home Depot), one list for each type of store (hardware store, drugstore, butcher), and even lists for things not related to shopping (to do, questions for the pediatrician). All lists are shared amongst household members and are updated automatically within seconds.

Can OurGroceries keep track of recipes?

Yes! You can keep track of recipes that you prepare often, along with their main ingredients. You can use this list to inspire you next time you have to make a dinner decision and can’t remember which dishes you haven’t made in a while. The recipes don’t include the instructions or minor ingredients (such as water or salt)—just the key ingredients, so that you can quickly check which ones you already have and easily add the rest to your grocery list.

How do I rename or delete a shopping list or recipe?

On iPhone and iPod touch: While on the top-level list of lists, tap the right-facing blue arrow at the right of the list you want to rename or delete.

On Android: While in the shopping list or recipe itself, tap the phone’s menu button. The menu contains options to rename or delete the list.

Does OurGroceries allow you to change the order of items in the list or categorize them?

Yes! As of version 2.0 on all platforms and the web interface you can drag items around your shopping lists to change their order. You can also create categories or aisles and drag items into them to make shopping faster and easier. OurGroceries will remember the order and categories of items so that next time you create a shopping list the items will already be in the order you like to walk through the store.

Note for BlackBerry users: drag & drop is not yet available in OurGroceries for BlackBerry. Use the provided menu commands to re-arrange categories.

Can OurGroceries keep a backup of my grocery list in case my phone crashes?

Yes! OurGroceries keeps your lists backed up on our servers as part of its ability to share lists between the members of your household. In order to make use of this feature, you’ll need to enter your email address in the List Sharing section of the Settings screen, and then click through on the confirmation email that you’ll receive. As long as your phone can get an Internet connection (occasionally) when you’re using OurGroceries, it will keep the lists backed up.

Later, if your phone crashes, or you buy a new one, or upgrade to another phone, you can just install OurGroceries, enter the same email address in the List Sharing section of the Settings screen, click through on the confirmation email you’ll receive, and your lists and items will be automatically restored from our servers.

I accidentally crossed an item off the list. Can I undo that to bring the item back?

There’s no undo mechanism, but the crossed-off items are ordered so that the most recently crossed-off items are at the bottom. You can scroll to the bottom of the list and tap the item to bring it back to the list.

How can I move an item to a different list?

Tap the right-facing arrow at the right of the item you want to move. This will show the item details screen, where you can rename the item, change its quantities, delete it, change its category, and move it to a different list.

Can I import or export my lists and items?

You can import lists on our website by using the “Import Items” button at the top of a shopping list or recipe. There’s currently no way to export lists, but as a work-around you can email yourself a shopping list or recipe.

Can OurGroceries add items by scanning barcodes?

We currently support barcode scanning on the Android client. The other clients will get this feature soon.

Can OurGroceries keep track of prices?

We’ve had several requests for price tracking, and it’s on our list of features to add in a future update.

Can I keep some lists private?

We’ve had several requests for keeping some lists private, and it’s on our list of features to add in a future update.

Why won’t my BlackBerry synchronize lists or send the confirmation email?

This is a common problem with BlackBerry devices. Typically the phone is preventing the app from accessing the Internet. Look through the phone’s settings to see if there’s one that affects how the Internet is accessed. There’s no reliable way to fix this problem, and sometimes it resolves itself after a few hours or days.

We do know of a problem where upgrading the operating system will make OurGroceries no longer contact the Internet. This may be a problem we can fix and we’re working to resolve it.

My partner and I installed OurGroceries. Why are we seeing different lists?

You must associate the two phones together. To do this, go to the List Sharing section of the Settings screen:

On iPhone and iPod touch, return to the main lists screen (tap the Lists button in the upper-left corner), and then press the gears button. Then choose “List sharing”.
On BlackBerry and Android-powered devices, press the Menu key, and select Settings. Then choose “List sharing”.

Once you’re at the List Sharing screen, enter your email address, and press Send. You’ll receive a confirmation email with a link. (Check your spam or bulk email folder for the confirmation email, as these types of automated emails are often mis-classified as spam.) Click on the link in the confirmation email to associate your mobile device with that email address.

Then, on your partner’s device, do the same thing, still using your own email address. You must use the same email address for both phones. By associating both phones with the same email address you link them up, causing the lists to become synchronized. If you both already had items on your lists, they will be merged to create new shared lists.

Why are the website’s shopping lists different from those on my mobile phone?

You must associate OurGroceries on your mobile phone with your web account:

If you’ve already entered an email address into OurGroceries on your mobile phone (e.g., to share with your partner’s phone), then you must enter that same email address when signing in to “Your Lists” on the web site.
If you’ve never entered an email address into OurGroceries on your phone, then set up List Sharing now using the same email address that you used on the web. See above for instructions.

Remember to use the same email address for all your mobile devices and for the web interface. It’s what ties them all together and lets them synchronize with one another.

I followed the instructions. Why didn’t I receive a confirmation email?

These types of automated emails often get mis-classified as spam. We’ve seen problems with both Yahoo and Gmail. Check your spam folder for the confirmation email.

Sometimes the Yahoo bulk-email folder is configured to delete spam immediately. If your spam folder is empty, do the following: Click “Options” in the upper-right, then “Mail Options” in the drop-down menu, then “Spam” in the left-hand pane. Look at the “Empty Spam folder” option. Make sure it’s set to anything other than “immediately”, then click “Save Changes” at the top. You’ll need to ask OurGroceries to send you the confirmation email again (see next paragraph).

To send the confirmation email again, launch OurGroceries, go to the Settings screen, and press the Send button.

Every time I sync my iPhone or iPod touch with my computer, I lose the app.

Plug your iPhone or iPod touch into your computer and run iTunes. Your device should appear in the left-hand pane of the iTunes window (under the heading “DEVICES”). When you click on your device in the left-hand pane, the right-hand pane of the iTunes window should show you several tabs across the top. Click the one named “Applications”. Make sure that the OurGroceries application is selected for syncing on this screen, or at least that the checkbox to sync “All applications” is selected.

How do I stop sharing the list with my partner?

Either of you can go to the List Sharing section of the Settings screen (see above answer) and blank out the email address, then press the Send button. You will both keep any existing items and shopping lists, as well as recipes you may have created, but the lists will no longer be synchronized.

If you’re not in a position to ask your former partner to change their OurGroceries settings, and if you want to share yours with someone new, then pick a new email address for your new partnership. This can be your new partner’s email address. If you use Gmail, then you can create a new address by appending a plus sign. For example, if you used example@gmail.com to share with your previous partner, you can use example+ourgroceries@gmail.com to share with your new partner. The emails will still be delivered to your inbox, but OurGroceries will consider it a new address for pairing purposes.

I can’t download OurGroceries from BlackBerry App World. How can I get OurGroceries for BlackBerry?

If you don’t have BlackBerry App World installed on your phone, can’t sign in to App World, or just can’t get OurGroceries to download from App World, then you should download OurGroceries directly from our BlackBerry download page.

OurGroceries for BlackBerry is stuck on the splashscreen and I can’t get to my lists.

This is a rare problem that affects some BlackBerry devices. To fix it, please first try turning your phone off and then back on again.

If that doesn’t work, then please do the following:

Uninstall OurGroceries.
Turn your phone off and back on again.
Reinstall OurGroceries.

If you had previously set up OurGroceries List Sharing on your BlackBerry, you’ll need to set it up again after reinstalling the app. If you haven’t set up List Sharing yet, please take a moment to do so now, since it provides an online backup of your lists.

If you lost your lists during the reinstallation process and wish to recover them, please contact support with your BlackBerry PIN and we will help you restore your lists.

The OurGroceries icon keeps disappearing on my BlackBerry.

Try this:

Reboot your phone (including a hard reboot), and see if the icon comes back.
Find the OurGroceries icon wherever you are able to (under App World, My World, etc.), highlight it, press the Menu key, and look for an option to move/copy it out to another folder or the home screen.

If that doesn’t work, the suggestions in this BlackBerry support forum thread may help.