Following a pilot in three U.S. cities, Amazon is making its grocery delivery subscription available to all Prime members in the U.S. For $9.99 a month, Prime members will now have access to unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $35 from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and a variety of local grocery and specialty retailers, as well as number of other delivery and fulfilment options.
The move represents a bid by Amazon not only to double down on the grocery segment but also to compete with other delivery services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats — both of which offer a level of speed and access that even Amazon’s sometimes shockingly rapid ecommerce fulfillment system can’t replicate. Additionally, both DoorDash and Uber Eats have been rapidly expanding their services beyond the food sector, offering a viable, often quicker, alternative to ordering on Amazon in many product categories in partnership with retailers including Lowe’s, Staples and Big Lots.
Range of Delivery Options, Reduced Rates for EBT Recipients
In addition to Amazon-owned stores, delivery customers will also have access to range of retailers that sell on Amazon.com, such as Cardenas Markets, Save Mart, Bartell Drugs, Rite Aid, Pet Food Express and Mission Wine & Spirits. The subscription also includes one-hour delivery windows at no extra cost, unlimited 30-minute pickup on orders of any size and priority access to Recurring Reservations for a weekly grocery order.
Customers with a registered EBT card can access the subscription without a Prime membership and at a reduced cost of $4.99 per month. A free 30-day trial also is available to let customers test out the service before committing.
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“This new grocery subscription benefit provides even more value and savings on delivery fees for customers who regularly order groceries from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and the variety of local grocery and specialty retailers on Amazon.com,” said Tony Hoggett, SVP of Worldwide Grocery Stores at Amazon in a statement. “Our goal is to build a best-in-class grocery shopping experience — whether shopping in-store or online — where Amazon is the first choice for selection, value and convenience.”
