Martie, the Online Marketplace You Likely Haven't Heard of, Has Great Deals on So Many of Our Favorite Groceries

Grocery shopping has gotten noticeably more expensive, and for shoppers who reach for specialty brands, those costs can add up especially fast. At the same time, there’s something undeniably fun about discovering a new product — whether it’s a pasta alternative, a small-batch sauce or a snack your kids suddenly can’t get enough of. That combination of saving money while still exploring new finds is exactly what Martie aims to deliver.

The online marketplace has been gaining attention for offering name-brand pantry staples, snacks and household goods at steep discounts, often because they’re overstock or nearing their sell-by dates. It’s frequently compared to off-price retailers, but instead of digging through store shelves, you’re scrolling through a curated selection of groceries and home items from your couch.

As someone who loves wandering supermarket aisles, I was curious whether Martie actually delivers on both fronts — value and experience — so I placed a couple of orders to assess the shopping experience, from browsing and checkout to delivery and taste-testing.

What Is Martie?

Martie is an online marketplace that sells overstock pantry, home and beauty products at a discount, often from recognizable, trending brands. The company was founded by Louise Fritjofsson and Kari Morris and officially launched in the fall of 2021.

The idea is simple: Brands often end up with excess inventory for a variety of reasons — seasonal overproduction, packaging changes or products nearing their expiration date. Instead of going to waste, those items are sold on Martie at steep discounts, typically 40 to 70 percent off retail price. Unlike similar websites such as Imperfect Foods or Misfits Market, there’s no subscription or weekly commitment needed to shop on Martie.

According to the founders, the platform started with around 100 products and has since expanded to roughly 1,000 to 1,500 items at any given time. The selection is constantly changing, which means you never quite know what you’ll find — but that’s part of the appeal.

“You can come to Martie and find something new every day, and you might actually buy it because the price point is such that it doesn't feel like a hard decision,” says Morris.

How We Tested Martie

To get a feel for the experience, I placed two orders on Martie, aiming for a mix of new-to-me products and familiar favorites. I browsed multiple categories — beverages, crackers and crisps, sweets, coffee and tea — and intentionally chose items with different packaging types. My cart included everything from canned goods to more delicate, crunchy snacks, since I was curious how well they’d hold up during shipping.

I made purchases above $50 to take advantage of the free shipping minimum. Both of my orders were processed and shipped within a few days, and everything arrived in a single box with some protective padding inside. Overall, the ordering process was quick and straightforward, similar to any major e-commerce site.

What We Loved About Martie

The Discovery Factor

Shopping on Martie feels a bit like browsing a discount retailer like TJ Maxx or Home Goods — think treasure-hunt energy — but with a more curated, food-focused twist. Each product page clearly shows how much you’re saving, along with the best-by date. There’s a quick description about the makers and specific product notes, plus dietary or brand call-outs (for example, gluten-free or women-owned).

I recognized plenty of brands (Banza, Purely Elizabeth, Bonne Maman and Bachan's, to name a few), but there were just as many I hadn’t tried before that ended up in my cart (Hotpot Queen, Pari, Kahawa 1893 Coffee). That mix made the browsing experience feel both familiar and exploratory.

“We're not just a place for [brands] to offload groceries. We're also a place for discovery,” says Morris, who notes that Martie’s buyers vet products carefully and use data to help decide what to stock.

While I had a feeling Martie would be a great place to pick up snacks and cooking staples, the beverage category became an unexpected favorite. Every time I checked to see what’s available, there was a great mix of sodas from brands such as Olipop and non-alcoholic drinks from Kin Euphorics and Bero Brewing.

Great Discounts

Of course, the biggest draw is the price. Many items were deeply discounted, and while some were closer to their expiration dates, plenty still had months of shelf life left. That gave me the freedom to stock up on staples without pressure to use them immediately and experiment with brands I might normally skip at retail cost.

As a mom, I’m constantly looking for kid-friendly snacks and pantry shortcuts but don’t always want to commit to something at full price in case it’s not a hit. This was the perfect opportunity to pick up items I’ve had an eye on, like a new Ground Up nut butter flavor ($16 on its website, $5.99 on Martie) and Loisa’s rice and beans ($17 on its website, $9.99 on Martie).

Typically, it’s the shelf life that dictates the price, explains Morris. “​​If it's less than six months, you'll see a 40 to 70 percent discount. Sometimes, it's 80 to 90 percent [off]. If we have product where the shelf life is long, the discount might be reflected as lower, and that range would probably be 20 to 30 percent.”

Martie will also occasionally include free bonus items in your order — usually products nearing their best-by date — which feels like a nice extra perk. I got a Reelfruit nut mix that was set to expire the week I received it, but per Martie, had “recently went through testing to extend their shelf life” until August.

Easy-to-Use Platform

The website is clean and intuitive, and there’s also an app if you prefer shopping on your phone. Products are divvied up into three areas (pantry, beauty and home goods), and each one is further divided into categories. A “Just Landed” section makes it easy to see what’s new. One feature I didn’t know about until I spoke with Morris: You can favorite items and get notified if they come back in stock, a helpful tool given how quickly things rotate.

While non-perishable foods are what Martie is known for, Morris says interest in the other two is growing, too. “People come back for pantry most often, and 70 percent of our inventory is pantry. But where we can really surprise and delight and offer you something that you didn't come to Martie to buy is beauty and home goods.”

What We Didn’t Love About Martie

Some Items Don’t Ship Well

For the most part, my orders arrived in good condition, but not everything survived the trip perfectly. In one shipment, a bag of chips arrived crushed and partially opened.

To Martie’s credit, the refund process was quick and hassle-free, and I got my money back after submitting a claim through the website. Still, it’s worth noting that items are packed together in a box, and while there is some padding, fragile snacks like chips and crackers — not surprisingly — can get a little beat up.

Inventory Is Unpredictable

This is both a pro and a con. Because Martie relies on overstock, there’s no guarantee that an item will be restocked. If you find something you love, it’s smart to grab it while you can because it may not be there next time (Unfortunately for my grocery budget, my kid is now a big Fishwife fan, so I’ll be stocking up elsewhere).

Expiration Dates Vary Widely

I found that most items had a comfortable window before expiring. In fact, a tin of the aforementioned Fishwife albacore tuna was listed as best by February 2029 on the website, and the one I received was even later than that. That obviously isn’t the case with most of Martie’s overstock. I’m fairly flexible with expiration dates when it comes to shelf-stable foods, but I do recommend taking a closer look when buying anything with more perishable ingredients.

Bottom Line: Is Martie Worth It?

Short answer: Yes. With grocery prices continuing to climb, Martie offers a practical way to save money on quality pantry items, especially if you gravitate toward premium or specialty brands.

It’s also just fun! If you’re someone who enjoys discovering new products or strolling grocery aisles without a plan, Martie delivers that same experience in a digital format. Instead of doomscrolling the news, I’ve found myself surfing the Martie app to see if anything interesting has been added recently.

“Our customers come from very different backgrounds in different parts of the country, and the sentiment is always the same,” Morris says. “It feels really good to save money, and it feels really good to save money on ingredients and products that you can feel good about eating and feeding your family.”

Just go in with the right expectations: Inventory changes, some items may be close to expiration and delicate snacks might not arrive picture-perfect. If you’re okay with that trade-off, the savings — and the discovery — can absolutely be worth it.