Amazon has unveiled its new ultra-fast delivery service called “Amazon Now” for household essentials and fresh groceries, and it has certainly lived up to its promise of speedy delivery. In a recent trial, it only took 23 minutes from the moment of placing the order on the Amazon shopping app to the items being dropped off at the doorstep.
Currently available in select neighborhoods in Seattle and Philadelphia, Amazon Now allows customers to browse through a curated selection of fresh produce, meats, seafood, pantry staples, frozen foods, beverages, household supplies, and more using the Amazon app or website.
Customers can track their order status and tip their driver directly within the Amazon Now feature. Prime members enjoy discounted delivery fees starting at $3.99 per order, compared to $13.99 for non-Prime customers, with an additional $1.99 fee for “small basket” orders under $15.
Recent reports from GeekWire revealed that Amazon is setting up a new rapid-delivery hub at a former Amazon Fresh Pickup site in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, indicating a significant investment in this new delivery service.
According to permit filings, Amazon Now operations involve employees picking and bagging items in a back-of-house stockroom, staging completed orders on front-of-house shelves, and handing them off to Amazon Flex drivers who are expected to complete the delivery within two minutes of arrival. The service is designed to operate 24/7, resembling a convenience store in terms of accessibility and availability.
The shopping experience with Amazon Now is seamless, with customers able to choose from a wide range of products. In a test conducted by GeekWire, a variety of items were ordered, including a frozen pizza, bread, batteries, crackers, hummus, and blackberries, totaling $22.86. With additional fees for delivery and tip, the total came to $30.49.
Tracking the delivery progress is made easy through the Amazon app, with real-time updates on the status of the order. In the test conducted, the delivery estimate was accurate, with the driver arriving within the specified timeframe.
Upon delivery, the items were neatly packed and in good condition, with the frozen items still cold. The convenience and speed of Amazon Now make it an attractive option for those looking for quick and efficient grocery delivery services.
Overall, Amazon Now’s rapid delivery service has proven to be a game-changer in the grocery delivery industry, offering customers a convenient and efficient way to shop for essential items with minimal wait time.
Final thoughts
I’m old school-ish. I like going to the grocery store. I like seeing people, browsing aisles, and talking to the cashier (if they haven’t all been replaced by self-checkout). We’re not in Covid times. No part of me really needs or wants a bag of six random grocery items quickly delivered to my front porch in the name of convenience.
I’m clearly not the target audience for Amazon Now. My 18-year-old watched me as I stood at the window waiting for the driver and asked, “What is it, like DoorDash?”
“I guess so,” I said.
But if I was sick on my couch and wanted soup, Saltines and a ginger ale in 30 minutes or less, and didn’t want to move to go get it, I might use the service again.
Or if I’d already been to the store that day and forgot some items that were needed for dinner, I could see biting the bullet. Especially if the drive back to the grocery store was not so quick.
While at Met Market earlier that morning, I watched a woman in self-checkout pull at her receipt and the whole roll of tape fell out of the machine and rolled across the floor unspooling.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it!” said the human employee monitoring self-checkers. “I need to show I’m essential.”
