What To Expect When Buying Seafood Online

If you’re a foodie, the Internet is completely made of win. Thanks to the proliferation of fresh fish markets online, seafood lovers are no longer stuck with the selection at their local seafood market. Instead, they can order seafood from an online California seafood market or any other fresh fish market that can provide them with the delectable treats they crave. If you’re new to idea and aren’t sure what to expect when you buy seafood online, this simple explanation may make the whole process clearer for you.

Find a Reputable Seafood Market

Before you place your order, do some research online to make sure you’re dealing with a reputable fresh fish market. Many online seafood sites are actual fish markets, located on the pier in their own towns. You can find out about their reputation for quality and service by checking online customer review sites. Generally, if a fish market is known for quality locally, their care will extend to any seafood delivery options they offer.

Read Descriptions Carefully

Since you can’t actually see and smell the fish when you order seafood online, you have to trust that the market will fill your order with the freshest seafood available. There are a few ways to make an educated guess about the freshness of the fish and seafood you order, though. First, know your seafood so that you know when the fish and shellfish you want are available fresh in season. Thanks to modern fishing methods and worldwide fish harvesting, you can nearly always buy just about any kind of seafood you want at any time of the year. There are, however, times when those selections will only be available frozen, canned or smoked. Before you order, make sure that you know exactly what you’re ordering, whether you're wanting to buy smoked seafood, frozen fish of fresh fish.

Check Delivery Policy

Next, check the delivery policy posted on the fish market website to find out when they ship seafood for delivery. The busiest markets ship daily, but your order will only be shipped if it’s received by a specific time. If you miss the cutoff hour, your order will be filled the next day – from the next day’s catch. In most cases, your seafood delivery will be shipped in a cooler packed in dry ice to keep it fresh without freezing it. You should have it within 24 hours of packaging it.

When Your Seafood Delivery Arrives

When your order arrives from the fish market, you should remove the cooler from the outside packaging and check the condition of the contents. Fresh fish and shellfish go bad quickly, so it’s best to prepare it as soon as possible after it arrives. If you’re not  ready to prepare it immediately, store the packaged fish on a bed of ice on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, away from other foods.

Whether you’re craving fresh diver scallops, Ahi tuna or fresh halibut, you’ll always be able to please your palate when you order seafood from an online fresh fish market. Why take a chance with anything but the very freshest fish?