When I think of Amazon, I automatically think of books. I can’t help it. I’m still stuck on their early days when they were known as the online bookstore. They’ve certainly expanded to sell just about everything possible these days from housewares and electronics to clothing and furniture. And now they’ll be adding groceries to the list of products offered, and those groceries will be delivered “fresh” to your door. Sound familiar? There are a handful of “fresh to your door” online grocery services currently available. Peapod comes to mind as one that’s managed to stick around. There are several online grocery services that come to mind however, that haven’t been able to survive, like WebVan.
Amazon Fresh, as it’s called, will be serving people in the Seattle area by invitation only. It certainly sounds attractive with a pre-dawn delivery option which means you place your order, and the next morning you’ll have a “temperature-controlled” tote sitting on your doorstep (free delivery with a $25 order). Kinda sounds like the days of milk men delivering jugs of milk fresh do your door every morning. They also have daytime delivery (free delivery with a $50 minimum order) and a local pick-up option, and advertise “competitive prices.”
I’ve never tried the online grocery services before, mainly because it hasn’t been something offered in my area, but also because I’m one who likes to pick out my produce items and actually see what I’m buying before it arrives at my house. Craig Berman, spokesman for Amazon Fresh says, “When we feel we are ready to add neighborhoods and add more customers to the invite list, and we can provide those customers with a great experience then we will do so.”
While it sounds like a risky business for Amazon to get into, I think there’s potential to do well. Amazon says they have a fleet of 12 trucks to deliver the products, so who knows, you just might be seeing an Amazon Fresh truck in a neighborhood near you should they be successful in Seattle. Would it be delivering to your house? Or are you one who prefers to go to the grocery store and pick out everything yourself?
Source: Reuters
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I would definitely use this service if it was offered in my area. I’d use it to buy non-perishables…and just go to the supermarket for the perishable stuff….That would save lots of time.
It seems strange for Amazon to get into this business though. I hope it works out for them ’cause I love the company.
I think that a service like this could do well, but it still seems like a weird concept to order groceries online. It’s hard for me to get used to the fact that those things can be ordered without stepping foot outside the door. If you work from home I guess there isn’t ever a need for you to leave your house anymore.
Btw: I have word from a highly reliable source that they are planning on expanding Amazon Fresh to the entire US.