Amazon Grocery
June 25, 2006
I know this is old news at this point (still catching up from vacation/illness), but for anyone who hadn’t heard, Amazon is launching an online grocery service in beta: Amazon Grocery. If anyone can get online groceries to work–it’s Amazon. Safeway’s attempt has been mildly successful at best. As someone whose only in-person shopping is food: local farmers’ markets, groceries, and CostCo (bless you, CostCo for your canned diced tomatoes in bulk), this is intriguing. I buy everything else online–gifts, clothes, music, books, movies. If I could do groceries too, for a reasonable shipping price, I’d be for it. The less line-standing I have to do, the better.
June 25th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
Tesco have been very successful in the UK, and followed by many major supermarket companies. Tesco delivery vans even go out to tiny hamlets in rural counties. But then distances are so much smaller here. But we couldnt make book delivery services work in rural counties, just not economically viable.
June 25th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
My father used to shop online with Schnuck’s in Champaign, Illinois. They charged $10 for delivery, but with only a 2-hour window (and they were always on time) and next-day delivery. The web site even remembered what he’d ordered in the past and asked if he wanted to re-order anything. For someone in a retirement complex who’d given up driving, it was wonderful (the complex’s bus did NOT go to Schnuck’s, his favorite store).
June 25th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Who considers crunchy peanut butter as a “Gourmet item”? Gee whillickers. American capitalism’s tenacity to repackage everyday items into extraordinary luxuries (French Vanilla?) knows no bounds.
Also, is it realistic to think that people lacking peanut butter (crunchy or creamy, whichever) but who want a peanut butter sandwich at that moment are going to use Amazon to buy it, thus waiting a few days till the PB arrives? Who’s cravings are really that patient?
June 25th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Have you not used/seen Peapod (www.peapod.com)? It’s not available everywhere, but it’s pretty good.
–from another woman who does NOT live to shop!
June 26th, 2006 at 9:49 am
I lived in Champaign for 3 years and then a few years later for another 2 years. I remember them launching their home delivery service soon before I moved. They did have good stuff…
I have seen Peapod, but their prices are crazy….too high for lil’ ol’ me.
June 26th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
But…Peapod delivers FRESH stuff, something Amazon doesn’t seem to be able to do yet. Milk, veggies, eggs, etc. That’s half my grocery bill!
[Staggering prices, higher delivery charges=Peapod.
Amazon definitely has them beat in the delivery charge area!!]
RE: peanut butter, I think the idea is to never run out in the first place, thus satisfying that 2 a.m. craving for peanut butter and gourmet pickles.