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Introducing Amazon Fresh

fresh.amazon.com

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Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#11

Post by jmduke »

benesch wrote: post #8
jmduke wrote: post #3

Amazon Fresh isn't new -- it's been around in Seattle since 2007. What appears to be new is the Prime Fresh offering as a new gating mechanism for it: $299 per annum (effectively $220 if you're already a Prime customer), which also cuts away the delivery cost. At first blush, I'm not sure if the value proposition is attractive enough for me, even though I'm more or less the target demographic (upper-middle-class, 20'…

Back of the napkin calculations put the cost of Prime Fresh at less than the cost of Zipcar grocery shopping. Realistically, you can't drive to the grocery store, do your shopping, drive home, unload the car, and drive the Zipcar back to its parking spot in anything less than two hours. (And maybe fill it up with gas, if you're unlucky.) Even with a cheap Zipcar, that's $16 + tax per trip. $220/$17 puts the equivalen…

I can generally make the entire trip in just under an hour (sample size: two out of three), but I'm blessed with twin advantages of being unusually efficient in Trader Joe's and having a ZipCar lot literally across the street from my building.

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#12

Post by Timmy_C »

jmduke wrote: post #3

Amazon Fresh isn't new -- it's been around in Seattle since 2007. What appears to be new is the Prime Fresh offering as a new gating mechanism for it: $299 per annum (effectively $220 if you're already a Prime customer), which also cuts away the delivery cost. At first blush, I'm not sure if the value proposition is attractive enough for me, even though I'm more or less the target demographic (upper-middle-class, 20'…

You don't want to drive to that Trader Joe's. They have the worst parking garage I've ever seen. It's really difficult to get into and out of without hitting a post or another car. Since the parking garage is above the grocery store you have to drive up a steep ramp to park. And I've seen shopping carts accidentally rolling down that ramp more than once.

Also, I don't know if I'd say Trader Joe's is much better than the stuff you can find on Amazon. They're about equivalent in terms of quality. I'd say that the biggest benefit of your solution is that you get to pick out your own produce.

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#13

Post by mattvv »

I could stomach the $299 per year if the prices were cheap, however - cheapest avacado I could find was for $1.29 per avacado.... that's a lot more expensive then the 48c special at sprouts.... especially when you factor in the cost of membership.

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#14

Post by jmduke »

Timmy_C wrote: post #12
jmduke wrote: post #3

Amazon Fresh isn't new -- it's been around in Seattle since 2007. What appears to be new is the Prime Fresh offering as a new gating mechanism for it: $299 per annum (effectively $220 if you're already a Prime customer), which also cuts away the delivery cost. At first blush, I'm not sure if the value proposition is attractive enough for me, even though I'm more or less the target demographic (upper-middle-class, 20'…

You don't want to drive to that Trader Joe's. They have the worst parking garage I've ever seen. It's really difficult to get into and out of without hitting a post or another car. Since the parking garage is above the grocery store you have to drive up a steep ramp to park. And I've seen shopping carts accidentally rolling down that ramp more than once. Also, I don't know if I'd say Trader Joe's is much better than…

Do you recommend the Lower Queen Anne one?

And I prefer TJ's frozen food (I am an absolute sucker for the Mac and Cheese) and produce. I agree that the quality of staples are more or less equivalent.

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#15

Post by perfmode »

gergles wrote: post #10
benesch wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back of the napkin calculations put the cost of Prime Fresh at less than the cost of Zipcar grocery shopping. Realistically, you can't drive to the grocery store, do your shopping, drive home, unload the car, and drive the Zipcar back to its parking spot in anything less than two hours. (And maybe fill it up with gas, if you're unlucky.) Even with a cheap Zipcar, that's $16 + tax per trip. $220/$17 puts the equivalen…

They're not competing with Zipcar; they're competing with existing grocery store delivery services like Peapod, FreshDirect, Safeway Delivery, etc.

Ultimately, they are competing with brick and mortar grocery shopping.

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#16

Post by [deleted] »

benesch wrote: post #8
jmduke wrote: post #3

Amazon Fresh isn't new -- it's been around in Seattle since 2007. What appears to be new is the Prime Fresh offering as a new gating mechanism for it: $299 per annum (effectively $220 if you're already a Prime customer), which also cuts away the delivery cost. At first blush, I'm not sure if the value proposition is attractive enough for me, even though I'm more or less the target demographic (upper-middle-class, 20'…

Back of the napkin calculations put the cost of Prime Fresh at less than the cost of Zipcar grocery shopping. Realistically, you can't drive to the grocery store, do your shopping, drive home, unload the car, and drive the Zipcar back to its parking spot in anything less than two hours. (And maybe fill it up with gas, if you're unlucky.) Even with a cheap Zipcar, that's $16 + tax per trip. $220/$17 puts the equivalen…

[deleted]

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#17

Post by jawns »

Just in case you're confused -- as I was, until I started digging through the details:

Amazon Fresh is the store.

Amazon Prime Fresh is the subscription service, a $220 add-on to Amazon Prime (so, basically, you're paying $300 for both Amazon Prime and Amazon Prime Fresh).

Your subscription allows you to shop at the store (Amazon Fresh), and orders over $35 qualify for free shipping.

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#18

Post by eshvk »

I experimented with a few options here in SF for groceries. I tried Instacart; it works out to be slightly more expensive than be taking an uber back and forth to the closest TJs and buying stuff. The best of the bunch now appears to Walmart to go[1]. They have a minimum delivery of $35 but stuff appears to be reasonable (assuming you don't have personal objections to walmart). The site is kind of shitty though.

I would probably go the Amazon route if they released fresh here and made it cheaper to get a membership. I use Amazon for almost everything else.

[1] http://delivery.walmart.com/

Re: Introducing Amazon Fresh

#19

Post by swampthing »

techsupporter wrote: post #7
jmduke wrote: post #3

Amazon Fresh isn't new -- it's been around in Seattle since 2007. What appears to be new is the Prime Fresh offering as a new gating mechanism for it: $299 per annum (effectively $220 if you're already a Prime customer), which also cuts away the delivery cost. At first blush, I'm not sure if the value proposition is attractive enough for me, even though I'm more or less the target demographic (upper-middle-class, 20'…

Someday a Trader Joes will come to Lake City (or any grocery store other than Fred Meyer) but until then, Lesser Seattle[0] appreciates Amazon Fresh. I didn't see where the $299/$220 comes from. When I go to the link, it just takes me to the "buy things and sign in" page after I click Seattle. It looks like the Amazon Fresh Prime offering is only available in Los Angeles. 0 - It's a joke. North of 85th and south of S…

Isn't there a QFC on Lake City Way? There's also a nice new Safeway on 125th and 15th (though not technically Lake City, I think).

On another note... never thought I'd see talk about Lake City on HN :)

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